The End Where I Begin
by Snoweylily
Summary: When Iron Man carried the missile through the portal, the other Avengers panicked. When Tony Stark landed back on earth, presumed dead, they mourned. And when the superhero started breathing again, the team cheered. What Mr.Stark failed to tell them, was that he was still panicking. And it wasn't just his ego that was damaged...
1. Prolouge

**_Prologue_**

When Iron Man carried the missile through the portal, the other Avengers panicked,

When Tony Stark landed back on earth, presumed dead, they mourned,

And when the superhero started breathing again, the team cheered.

What failed to tell them, was that he was still panicking,

And it wasn't just his ego that was damaged...


	2. Chapter 1

_Okay, well first of all,_

_Hi! My name is Rachel and this is my first story,_

_Now that that's all done, back to the point :)_

Well, as iv already said, this is my first story so please don't expect too much,

It starts in the 'Avengers 1' movie just as Tony Stark aka. Iron Man, is caught by Hulk as he falls back down to earth after bringing the missile through the portal. (Longgg story)

Its most likely gonna be 100% in Tony Starks point of view (POV), but if it does change to someone else's, I'll let ye know :)

_That's it for now I guess,_

_I'll try to update every chance I get but I estimate at least twice a week if that's ok with ye,_

_Also, I would love and appreciate any reviews or comments, good or bad, I don't mind,_

_Sometimes you need criticism to improve things so don't be afraid to speak your mind...or type it in this case :p_

_Now let the story BEGIN!_

_PS. I'm a rubbish speller just so ye know :)_

* * *

**-CHAPTER 1-**

Straight ahead, there was the missile. "I got a nuke coming in, it's going to blow in less than a minute" I said, "And I know just where to put it". Come on, come on. Then I had it. Wait, what? Oh god, I was holding the missile. No, don't panic, this was what I meant to do right?. "Stark, you know that's a one way trip" someone told me. Steve Rogers. "Save the rest for the turn,J" I told Jarvis, completely ignoring Capcicle. "Sir, shall I try Miss Potts?" the AI asked and I nodded slightly, "Might as well". If was going to end how I thought it would, I had to say goodbye. "Sir, Miss Potts not responding to this call" he said a few seconds later. Damn it Pepper, just when I need you the most. The portal was coming up ahead, and then...then I was through. "Sir, systems a-are not-t repons-s-s-ding-" Jarvis started but I cut him off, "I noticed", then the Iron Man suit shut down. I couldn't breathe...I COULDNT breathe. Then it got dark...and I couldn't breathe. This was it then. I was going to die. I watched as if in slow motion, as the suit started falling, the missile continuing its journey up to the...mothership? alien ship? I didn't know what to call it. I watched as it exploded, killing every god damn alien who set foot on out planet. bastards deserved it. I knew what was coming as I raced back down to earth, and I accepted it. I was going to die. No...no...No, I can't die. There were so many things I still had to do. I had to take cap to my fathers grave...I had to tell Pepper what she meant to me...I had to teach Thor how to use a microwave...There were so many things left...so, so many things...But then the blackness over took me and I reluctantly closed my eyes for the last time.

A sudden jolt snapped me back to reality and I gasped for breath. I was alive?...I was alive. WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED? My eyes shot open and I was faced with two worried-looking faces, and an angry green one. "What the hell? What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me?" I asked and Steve let out a shaky breath, "We won". "Alright. Hey. Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day off. Have you ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it" I said, standing up and he smiled slightly, seeing I was back to my usual annoying self. Then of course Thor had to ruin it, "we're not finished yet". "And then Shawarma after" I argued and he nodded.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now". I grinned at Loki's pathetic excuse. We had all our weapons aimed at him, except for Thor of course, he still believed that Loki was simply after 'straying into the dark side'. Sounded like something out of a Star Wars movie. "Brother we must leave now, to Asgard, for I fear these Midgardians shall imprison you" Thor said holding out his hand. Idiot. Loki grinned mischievously before taking it, pulling himself up. "I'm not your brother Thor. And you should have known better than to trust me" he said, his voice dangerously low. The he clicked his fingers...and he was gone. We all stared at where the God had stood only a split second before. "He teleports?" someone asked and we turned to find a very tired-looking Bruce holding onto the remains of his pants. "Oh hey Banner, nice of you to join us. I was thinking we'd have the other guy for dinner tonight and that...well, that wouldn't turn out too well" I said cheerily as Cap tossed him another pair of pants. Okay, WHERE did that pants come from? Cause I doubt Rogers could keep one in that suit of his. I shuddered at the thought. I seriously had to make Cap a new suit...with pockets. Lots and lots of pockets. "I am gravely sorry for my brothers damage to your city, it shall not go unpunished" Thor said and i patted him on the back, "Dont sweat Point Break, we all have that one black sheep in the family". In mine I guess, it was me, but I left that part out. "Point Break?" the God asked confused and I grinned at him, "yea, that's your new nickname. It sort of this movie thing iv seen. We must watch it sometime". "So what now?" Barton asked. It was silent for a few minutes, as if the others were daring me to say it. Hey, I don't want to let them down. "Shawarma?".

* * *

In the end, we actually did go and get Shawarma, much to my enjoyment. Shawarma, it turns out was a sandwhich-type wrap with random meat in it. And after about, i say, one? bite, maybe two? I decided I didn't like it. So I simply sat back and listened to the conversation. Current topic : Me. "And then, and then" Clint started before breaking out in laughter again, "then you just went...SPLAT, against the ground". "Shut it Bird Brain" I hissed at him and he started laughing again until Rogers hit him over the back of his head, "seriously Clint, he _died_, even just for a few minutes, but it still happened. It nothing to joke about". "Wow, I never thought id actually say this, but thank you Cap, for your sensibility" I replied and Barton glared at me. "Your sucking up to him now?" he whined and I smirked, "I don't know _Legolas_, should I?". He hated that nick-name, and I knew it, but at least he shut up after that. Thankfully. "So..." Natasha started. "Jeez Widow, you were silent there for so long I thought something had happened. Cat got your tounge? Or, I suppose, Aliens this time...I didnt know it was remotely possible for you to stay quiet for so long. Is that possible?...Hey, Bruce, do you think that's possible?" I asked but she completely ignored me. So did Banner. "Clean up" she started again, "how long?". "Three months?" Steve guessed, "id say five at most". I groaned, "three months? That's ages away. I'll probably be bald and 30 by then". "Stark. Your 36" Bruce said and I rolled my eyes, "SEE! I'm getting old already! No offence Cap". "None taken" he muttered. "BACK TO THE POINT" Natasha yelled and we all turned to her. She could be damn scary when she wants to be, not that id ever admit it. "Three months" she said firmly, "and by then, this city better be back the way it was before the aliens arrived". "Exactly the way it was before"? I asked, "i mean come on like, there's buildings that'll take FOREVER to redo, not to mind the people whose family have died. Oh, and then there's the-". "STARK" the Widow yelled, cutting me off and I sighed, "shutting up now".

* * *

"I'll update Fury" Natasha announced as we walked back to the tower. I barely registered the fact, i was too busy thinking of how long it was going to take to fix the suit. It was completely wrecked. And for some reason, i was missing the face plate...id have to ask Cap about that. Maybe he had but I didn't get to finish my thought. A sudden shot of electricity shot through my whole body, almost flooring me. What the hell was that? It felt like fire...like I was burning from the inside out...and it hurt...it hurt so much... "Stark...STARK" someone yelled and i jumped in surprise before turning to face Banner. Banner NEVER yelled. "Yea?" I asked, trying to stay calm. What had just happened? "You ok?" he asked quietly and I faked a grin, "course I am Brucey, why wouldn't i be?". "You just...kind of...stopped" he muttered. "Stopped?" I asked confused. "Walking I mean, you suddenly stopped and your eyes went all glassy" he explained. "Oh...yea, sorry. I...I just got a new suit idea" I lied. He didn't seem convinced but thankfully, let it drop, and we started walking along behind the others again. "Furys...angry" Natasha said pocketing her phone. "Why wouldn't he be? We kind of destroyed Manhattan" Clint replied. "Haha, Furys furious" I said, laughing at my own joke. The others didn't find it as funny. "Stark, focus here" Natasha said, "we got three months to fix New York, sort out our own stuff, and update out armour". "Right, Stark, you're in charge of fixing our weapons" Steve said pointing at me. "Righ-y-o Capcicle" I replied. "Nat, you and Clint will sort out SHIELD, debriefing and all that" he continued and they both nodded. "Then Bruce and I will tidy up New York, and Thor if you want". "It would be my honour Captain of America" Thor replied, bowing his head. That guy was SO old fashioned. It was hilarious. "Any objections?" Cap asked and we all shook our head. "Right, well...good work today" he said and I swallowed back a laugh. "Good work? Honestly Cap? We DISTROYED all of NEW YORK. How on earth is that good?" I asked and the others glared at me. Steve Rogers of course, had a huge heart and couldn't bring himself to argue with me. Poor guy. "The aliens are gone, the Tesseract is safe, and we're all alive and kicking. Its good work" Clint pointed out. Alive and kicking...after the sudden burning I had felt, I wasnt sure if I was still kicking..."And Rock of Ages escaped" I finished and Nat glared viciously at me "Look Stark, Loki will be captured again. And when that happens, we'll make sure that he's put away is the deepest hell hole possible somewhere locked up in Asgard". "Yes Man of Iron, I shall see to it myself that my brother does no future harm to your planet" Thor agreed and I sighed, "What ever you say Asgardian".

"Jarvis you there?" I asked, entering my lab back at the tower. "For you sir, always" came his calm reply. "Right, well fire up the machines, we got work to do" I told him. "Of course sir, any specific reason?". "Just do it Jar" I ordered and if the AI could have sighed, he would be doing right now, "As you wish sir". A good 10 minutes later, and everything was set up, my suit was in the bin, and the scraps I could save from it were on my work bench. Now I just had to figure out what the hell had caused the burning pain earlier on. "Jarvis, give a full scan" I said suddenly, standing up. If I didn't do it, it was going to bother me untill I did. "There are no injuries aside from the obvious sir" he replied a few seconds later. "...Are you sure?" I asked. There had to be SOMETHING that had caused it. "You're the one who programmed me sir". "Dont get smart J". "If that's what you want" he said quietly. Sighing, I sat back down, only to be hit by another shock of fire a few minutes later. Gasping, I clutched my chest. It was burning me. It was actually burning me. From the inside out. My vision blackened at the edges and then I found myself on the ground. But just like before, after a few seconds, it passed. Still gasping for breath, I reached up and pulled myself to my feet, leaning against the desk for support. "Sir? Shall I inform the others?" the AI asked and I shook my head, "No...not yet". "Sir, I hardly think that's-" he started but I cut him off, "good thing I programmed you not to think then isn't it?". He remained silent and I sighed, "fine Jarv, you can alert the others. But not now". "Then when sir?" he asked. "...only if something goes drastically wrong...like I have a heart attack...or I die... something like that" I replied, "does that make you happier?". "Much sir".

Sighing in frustration, I leant back in my chair, rubbing my eyes. I was recked. And I was getting no where with this. What time was it? "Jar-" I started but the AI cut me off, "4am sir, todays date is the 6th June 2013, weather is looking good, sunny for most of the day with a slight overcast this evening". I grinned slightly, "thanks J". "Your welcome sir". Jarvis. Still my greatest invention to this day, personally of course. I'm sure there many people out there who would disagree, believing the Iron Man suit was better. But without Jarvis, the suit would simply be a lump of metal. And speaking of the suit. "Jarvis bring up the plans again" I ordered and within a split second, there was a blue hologram on my desk. Lifting up my hand, i spun the diagram around, removing the heaviest pieces of metal until I was left with a basic sketch of the suit. "Bring up the repulsers" I ordered and soon I was back to working with my beloved suit. But it was no use. I couldn't focus on it, not when a majority of my mind, if not all, was set on figuring out what was causing the sudden jolts of fire to run through my body. "I need a drink" I muttered, abandoning the holograms, "J, get me a drink". "certainty sir, what will it be this time? Tea?" he asked and i glared at the nearest camera, "just because I gave you a Brits voice Jarvis, doesn't mean you have to act like an Englishman". "...Scotch it is then" he said. "There, now was that so hard?"

* * *

"Sir, Miss Potts is requesting entry" Jarvis told me a while later. "Dont l-l-let her i-in" I slurred, the bottle of scotch in my hand now empty. "Sir im afraid she wont take no for an answer". "J-Jarvis don't you d-d-dare let h-her-". "Oh My God, Tony!" someone screamed and I winced at the voice. "Jarvis y-you b-bastard" I muttered as Pepper rushed over to where I was slumped on the desk. "It's for your own good sir" came his smooth reply as Pepper started fussing about. "Oh god, what are you doing? Are you...are you DRUNK?" she asked, grabbing the scotch out of my hand. "No-no-no, course n-not Peps-s" I slurred and she glared at me. Wow, Pepper glare was scary! "You are, you Idiot. And look at you! Your clothes are ripped up and, oh my god, there's BLOOD" she shouted, lifting up my hand. "Is there? I n-never noticed-ed" I replied as she pulled out a napkin and wrapped it tightly around my hand. "Jeasus Tony, this is bad. Come on, we must find Bruce" she said, pulling me up. I stumbled slightly but Pepper kept me on my feet and helped me to keep my balance. "You're a disgrace you know that" she said angrily as we went into the elevator. "I'm s-sorry Pep" I grumbled but she ignored me, "and then when...when you rang me from the suit and...and then I didn't answer...and...and...then they said that you have...died...I...I...". By now she was almost crying. "I'm s-s-sorry" I said again and she looked up at me, giving out a short abrupt laugh. "Your and idiot Tony". "Thanks y-yous" I replied, grinning my trademark grin. Well, grinning as well as you could when your completely wasted. Then the elevator dinged and we stepped out. Then again, it was really only Pepper who stepped out, I more of...stumbled. "Ms. Potts? Whats happened?" Bruce asked, rushing towards us, "Jarvis said to meet you here". "His hand, he cut it on some scrap metal, I think. He needs stitches" Pepper explained, the words rushing out, "Tony, show him". "N-n-no, i don't l-like stitchs-chs" I whined and Bruce looked at me confused. "He's...". "Drunk" Pepper finished, "Full bottle of scotch, Jarvis was the one who let me in". "N-ope. I had t-two bottles. First o-one is in-n my desk d-drawer" I said smirking and Pepper rolled her eyes, "as I said. You're an Idiot. Now give me your hand".

Half and hour later, I was...mildly...sober, and had 13 stitches in my right hand. Talk about unlucky 13. Pepper was still mad at me for getting drunk, Bruce was simply frustrated that I managed to rip open the palm of my hand with a piece off the suit, and the other avengers were none the wiser. So I went back to my lab, ignoring the suit, and concentrating on figuring out what was the cause of the burning. And I didn't know where to start. Until it happened again. This time was worse than the last two. It was as if I had been burnt alive, every vein in my body had been set on fire, a sudden bolt of lightning being shocked straight through me. It lasted for about 7 seconds, and during that time, it was pure agony. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think straight, all I knew was a burning pain. Then it passed and I was on the ground, shaking violently and gasping for breath. But I could breathe again. "Sir?" Jarvis asked. "What is it J?" I asked, pulling myself up and trying to stop the shaking. I felt sick to the bone, my vision was blurred and my head was gone dizzy. "It appears I have found the source of your...collapsings" he said and I immediately snapped to attention. "You know what making all...this...happen?" I asked, referring to the burning. "Yes sir" he replied. "Well go on then, what is it?" I asked. "Its...". "Just spit it out Jarvis" I growled. "As you wish sir" he replied, "it seems to be coming from the Arc Reactor.

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_**Well, that's it, Chapter 1 is officially done!**_

_**So happy I actually managed to get this far!**_

_**Any suggestions or ideas for the upcoming chapters?**_

_**Type out a review or give a few comments on how you think it turned out, they'll be much appreciated!**_

**SPECIAL THANKS TO :**

_Ashleykhl,_

_Guest _

**and**

_M__agaret _

**For sending in reviews :)**


	3. Chapter 2

_Hello again :)_

_Firstly, Thank you for all the positive reviews and comments!_

_Secondly, Once again im sorry for grammar and spelling mistakes,_

_And Thirdly, welcome to Chapter 2 ;)_

**CHAPTER 2**

The Arc Reactor...It was the Arc Reactor that was causing all of this. Was it broken or-? No, it wasnt broken. Otherwise id be dead. But it was...malfunctioning. Why? How? What caused it? So many questions were running through my head. So many questions, and so little answers. Okay I had to calm down. Relax. Breathe. Slowly I sat down at the work bench. I just had to calm down and sort this out. Think things through. Ok, now, what do I know? The Arc Reactor is broken, check. Its making me collapse, check. When it happens I can't breathe, check. Does the light go out when I collapse?...I didn't know. But if it does, it means that the Reactor is stalling, flickering on and off. That was bad, that was REALLY bad. I looked down at my chest, the shiny blue light coming through my black AC-DC shirt. How could something so small, be so valuable? "Jarvis, get out the Reactor's plans" I ordered and a second or two later, they were up in front of me. I had to fix this problem, no matter what to cost. If I didn't, who knows what could happen? But only one fact registered in my mind as I started dismantling the hologram. The thing that was keeping me alive, was slowly going to kill me.

* * *

I was quiet at dinner that night, and I knew the others could sense something was wrong. I didn't feel like talking. I didn't feel like doing anything. I couldn't even come up with a joke when Barton almost choked on his meatballs. Steve had made Spaghetti Bolognese, and it was actually really nice for a guy who hadn't cooked in the past 90 years, but I didn't feel like eating. So half way through the beautiful meal, I got up, binning the rest of my food before cleaning and putting away the plate. Unforcently, to get back down to my lab, I had to go pass the others again, and even though they didn't say anything, I could feel their eyes on my back until I vanished around the corner. It was only when I was locked in my lab that I let out the shaky breath I never knew id been holding. The Arc Reactor was broken. And without it, the sharpel would get to my heart, killing me slowly and painfully. I would last about a week, Yinsen had told me, I would be the walking dead. Yinsen. If he was here he's know what to do. He always knew what to do. And then he died, all because he was trying to save me. Angrily shaking the thoughts from my head, I walked back over to my work bench, sitting down and pulling back out the plans I had worked with. I didn't know what was causing the reactor to stop working, and I knew I hadn't a chance of hope in fixing it without knowing, so I merely copied down every possible thing that could wrong with it. And it was a long list.

"Sir, I believe the other Avengers are worried", Jarvis's smooth voice echoed through the lab. "Worried?" I asked halfheartedly. "Yes sir, shall I bring up the live feed?" he asked and I thought about it for a minute, "might aswell". There was a soft click, then the camera from the sitting room came up on the wall behind me. Spinning around in my chair, and abandoning my work, I watched as the team slowly came into view. "-it would be ok right?" Natasha asked. "I don't know, he's sure acting strange" Clint replied. Two aggressive spies, check. "What if there's more to this than we think?" Bruce asked. One quiet scientist / angry green guy, check. "Like what?" Steve asked. One super soldier, check. Yep, the full team was there...wait...where's Thor? "Is the Man of Iron ill?" a booming voice asked and I winced. Okay, one REALLY loud God of Thunder, check. Everyone was there. And they were talking about me. "We don't know Thor" Bruce's sad reply came and I could visibly see Steve frown, "but if he WAS sick of some sorts...he would tell us right?". It was silent for a few minutes. "Right?" Clint asked, turning to Nat who shook her head slowly, "he once went almost a full year without telling anyone". "But...he wasnt that sick was he?" Steve asked. "How much do you know about Stark?" she asked him, sitting back in the armchair. "Only what it says in his file" Capcicle replied and i smirked. My file? Ha! I change that almost every day. "Right, well then you'll know that Starks an over-confident, arrogant, annoying jerk" she said breezily. Ouch. They all smiled slightly at that. "But what you don't know about him was he spent a full year dieing, before he told anyone". "It wasnt that long...only 11 months or so" I muttered, but obviously, they couldn't hear me. "Dieing?" Rogers asked, "as in...almost dead?". The widow nodded, "Starks very...unique. He'll try to solve the problem himself before telling anyone about it". "So basically, your telling us that Tony could be dieing right now, and we'll never know?" Rogers asked again and she nodded. Traitor. "Hey, J, whats he doing?" Clint asked. "Dont. You. Dare" I hissed. "Sir is currently working on a new project " Jarvis replied and i breathed a sigh of relieve, "thanks Jar". "A new project huh? In the lab is it?" Hawkeye asked and when Jarvis didn't reply, he took it as a yes, "right...well...im going to see the man in question".

"Jarvis cut the feed and save all blue-prints in a private file" I ordered, quickly gathering up old Arc Reactor I had been working on. "certainty sir, what would you like the file to be called?" he asked. "Something that no one in their right minds would want to look at" I replied. "File now labeled 'FluffyBunnies'" Jarvis replied and I grinned. FluffyBunnies. That was a good one. "Ok, good. Now turn up the music, I hate the silence, and get rid of everything Reactor related...and bring up the documents for the suit" I said, gathering up the papers and tossing them in the nearest drawer just as 'Highway to Hell' started playing on the surround-speakers. "How long until Barton arrives?" I asked. "37 seconds sir". "37 seconds...that doesnt give me enough time...stall him Jarvis". "certainty sir". I could almost hear the happiness in his voice, even though I programmed with no emotions. A few seconds later I heard a loud 'yelp' from upstairs. " shall be another minute late sir" the AI told me. Wonder what he did to Clint... I quickly rushed about the room, getting rid of all the Arc Reactor related papers and bringing out the Iron Man suit ones. I wouldn't let the others catch on that the reactor was faulty. I was the most vulnerable on the team, Steve had the super serum, Bruce had the other guy, Thor was a god, and Clint and Natasha were master assassins. I was just a guy with a suit. I was the weakest, pathetic even, out of the Avengers, but by God I swore, I wouldn't let them know it. No one had to know about the collapsing, not even Pepper, just me and Jarvis. And I planed to keep it that way.

And so, when Hawkeye arrived a few minutes later, I acted completely normal. I had my music on, I was building a new suit, and I was cursing loudly. Just act normal and maybe everything will turn out normal. But who was I kidding? I was possibly dieing, and I honestly didn't care. " is requesting entrance sir" Jarvis announced and I glanced over at the door. "Yea let him in" I muttered before turning back to my suit. "Shit" I yelled as a piece of metal cut through the stitched on my hand, "shit shit shit". "Tony? Jeez are you ok?" Clint asked running over. "Damn damn damn" I hissed as I put pressure on the cut, rushing over to the press. Where's the first aid box? Come on...there, got it. I flipped the lid off the box and rooted around until I found the bandages. That would have to do. "Dammit Loki, why did you have to destroy the suit" I muttered as I wrapped the cloth tightly around my hand. "Shit! Ow-ow-ow! Okay not so tight just hav- SHIT. Okay no, too tight". Swearing loudly a few more times, I finally managed to tie the bandage with my teeth. "Yes?" I asked calmly, spinning around to face Barton. "Are...are you ok?" he asked and I held up my hand to the light, "just a scratch. Hand got caught on a piece of metal". "...Oh,right" he muttered. It was silent for another few minutes. "Well if you don't have anything else to say, iv got work to do" I said, walking back over to the suit. "Right, yes, got ya...hows the suit coming along?" he asked and I glanced over at him weirdly. "Since when have you EVER been interested in the suit?". "...Since now" he replied and I smirked, "seriously Barton, for a spy, your terrible at lieing". He shrugged, "im bored, there's nothing else to do". "So you decided to watch me work?" I asked skeptically and he looked away. Traitor. I sighed, "look Clint, you don't have to look in on me. I'm fine, and im busy. And you don't want to be here, so scram". "Yea I suppose your right...why did you rush out from dinner?" he asked suddenly as I turned back to the suit. "What?" I asked innocently. "At dinner, you just ran out half way through, Nat thought you'd gotten sick". Yea right. "Oh, I just...I wasnt that hungry and besides, I need all the time I have to fix this" I lied, motioning to the suit. "Right. I'll tell the others you're not dead then" he said quietly, walking back to the door. "Clint?" I asked, just as he was about to leave. "Yea?" he asked, turning back to me, the hope in his eyes. I hesitated. "Spit it out Stark". "What...what would you do if...if you knew you only had one more day to live?" I asked, looking down at the floor. "What sort of question is that?" he teased, before realising I was serious, "well...id tell everyone what they meant to me, and id do everything I ever wanted. Why?". "Oh, no reason, just asking" I said before smirking at him, "im sure you'd have a lot to say to Natasha". He went bright red and I forced a laugh. "See ya Stark" he said, going back out into the corridor. "See ya Barton". Do everything I ever wanted...

* * *

"Sir? Sir?". Jarvis's voice was the first thing I heard the next morning when I woke. "What is it?" I grumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. " is currently asking for you. She says its urgent" he replied. "Urgent? What time is it?". "12pm sir. You fell asleep at 8am" Jarvis replied as i sat up, looking around. I was still in the lab. Why was i in the lab again? Oh yes, the Reactor. Ah well. "Thanks J, where is she?" i asked, running a hand thorugh my messy hair. "Sitting room sir. Shall i tell her your on your way?" he asked and i nodded, "give me two minutes". "I shall tell her you shall be arriving there in five minutes sir" Jarvis replied and i smirked. He knew me too well.

"Mornin Peps" I greeted, falling down onto the couch. "Morning? Tony its mid-day" she said turning to me, "and look at you!". "What? I fell asleep in the lab ok" I muttered and she sighed, "hows your hand?". Oh yes, my hand. I showed her my bandage-wrapped right hand. "You...you...you idiot!" she shouted. "Yes, I know. You said that quiet a lot yesterday" I replied as she took off the blood-soaked cloth. "This'll need stitches AGAIN!". "Yes yes, I know, don't worry. Now, whats so urgent?" I asked and she smirked. "I just need you to sign some paper work, but I knew you wouldn't come unless it was urgent". "Sneaky Pepper, very sneaky" I said, "fine, just tell me where to sign". "Dont you dare get blood on those papers" she muttered handiny me a pen and I grinned, "no promises".

"Hey" Cap said, entering the kitchen. "Hey Steve" I muttered, pouring another cup of coffee. I seriously had to invent a quicker coffee machine...call it 'Express Espresso Maker'. I grinned at the thought, that would get hilarious reactions from Barton. "You all right?" Steve asked quietly and I put down my cup angrily, "why does everyone keep asking me that?". "Well...your being all quiet and so...un-stark like" he replied. "Un-stark like? Seriously? Do i always have to act like a Stark? Like my father?". He seemed slightly taken aback by that comment. "Tony, you know that not what" he started but i cut him off, "save it Rogers. Dont waste your breath". Then I left, leaving a stunned and slightly confused Captain America alone in the kitchen. I knew I had let my temper take over me, and I knew I had taken it too far, but I couldn't be bothered to care anymore. I had spent half an hour signing papers with Pepper, that was 6 hours ago, and since then I had been trying to figure out what the hell was the matter with the damn reactor. I was sick of it and, truth be told, I didn't know how much more I could take.

* * *

I couldn't feel anything but a piercing pain, and there was a snagging sensation across my chest. They were cutting open my chest! Why were they cutting open my chest. Someone was shouting, begging for it to stop. And it was only then I realised it was me. And there was blood all over the place, coming from me I realised. What were they doing to me? Swallowing back tears I looked down...and allmost vomited. My chest...there was a hole in my chest. They were...they were doing surgery on me. Without any morphine or drugs. Live sugary. And there was Yinsen... He was putting something in my chest. Then everything changed and I was back in the Hum-Vee with the three soldiers. "NO" I screamed, but no one heard me. I knew what was coming. The bullets, the fighting... the bomb. Then the other car exploded and the three soldiers got out. "NO DONT GO" I yelled but they didn't stop. I tried grabbing onto their jackets but all I touched was air. Then there was fighting and then they were dead. Stay in the truck. If I stayed in the truck, everything would be all right. But then I found myself jumping out, against my will, and running over to the rocks, taking out the Stark Phone. "NO...THIS CANT BE HAPPENING, NOT AGAIN" I shouted but nothing happened. Then the Stark Industries bomb landed next to me. Then there was a blinding light and an explosion. And pain, so much pain. Slowly I reached down and ripped open my shirt. Sharpe. There was sharpel in my chest. I was going to die.

I would up gasping for breath. It was just a nightmare... a stupid bad dream... it wasnt real. No, there was something else. I still couldn't breathe. Calm down, deep breaths. But no, it was happening again. I couldn't breath...and I felt all dizzy again. "Sir? Sir it's another collapsing. Should I get help?" Jarvis asked but i couldn't speak. I couldn't breathe! And the light...why was the room dark? Where was the usual blue glow?

Ignoring the pain, I forced myself to look down. And it was gone. The light was gone. My blue light had simply…vanished. That meant to Arc Reactor was…dead. Gone. Broken… Ignoring the fire-like pain coursing through my body, I concentrated on taking deep breaths. Deep breaths… Oh god I was going to puke. I stumbled towards the bathroom, coughing violently and was that…blood? Oh god. I was coughing up blood. "Sir has been informed and is on his way" Jarvis told me but I barely heard him. I still couldn't breathe…and the blood…there was so much blood. The light on my Reactor was flickering…why was it flickering? My vision was fading and I felt dizzy, and the light…where was the light? Then there was a bang, like someone knocking down a door and a few seconds later something knelt down next to me…no, someone. Clint. Hey, it was Clint. He would help me. Then he was talking…words…too many words. "Tony" he said, "Tony listen to me". I didn't want to listen to him, I wanted it to end. Then Clint was gone. No…no, don't leave me…don't go… "SOMEONE GET IN HERE! BRUCE, WE NEED HELP!" That was Clint shouting. Then he was back next to me. "Hospital". "You're ok". Only some words clicked, but I knew I was ok. I could hardly breathe and I was coughing up too much blood. Then there was a new person, and they were holding my wrist. "Pulse is slowing, we need an ambulance and NOW". That was Bruce. Bruce would help me as well…wouldn't he? "It h-hurts" I mumbled before another coughing fit took over. "The blood must have gotten into his lungs" Bruce said, "Tony? Tony can you hear me?". "Cant…breathe" I choked out, gasping for breath. "I know Tony, its ok; the ambulance will be here soon". I shook my head, "no…it-it's…too l-late…the r-reactor". "What?" Bruce asked, leaning closer. What couldn't they see? It was the reactor. It was all because of the reactor. "Natasha...g-get Nat" I mumbled. "What did he say?" Clint asked. "Nat…get Natasha NOW" Bruce shouted and I winced against the loudness in his voice. Then Clint disappeared again. No, no, no, why was everyone leaving me?

Then a new voice…a girls voice…"Stark what's happening?" Who was that? It couldn't be Pepper, she never called me Stark. "Tony, its Natasha. Where's the other reactor?" Ah, Natasha, that's it, I knew Natasha. "Hey Nat" I mumbled, smiling slightly. "He's lost it…Stark, look at me, what happened to the reactor?" she asked. "It…b-broke" I mumbled, before heaving up more blood. I couldn't breathe! Why couldn't they see that? "What does he mean it broke?" Clint asked warily. "It's killing him" she said, "its electrocuting him from the inside". "It hurts…" I mumbled. "I know Stark, trust me I know. Remember last year? Remember when we fixed that? We can do it again. You just have to tell me where the second one is" she replied. Natasha…she was always calm in things like this. "There is no s-second one…this I-is it" I said, my vision blackening at the edges. "Don't you DARE die on me Stark" she muttered, slapping me across the face. "Y-you hit…like a gir-rl" I complained and she smirked, "just hang in there buddy. Clint. His lab. Now. Try and find another Reactor". "Coughing's reduced. Pulse is still slowing".

"Wh-wheres Capcicle?" I asked. "He's…where is Steve?" Bruce asked and Nat shrugged, "no idea". "G-get Steve…t-take him to H-Howards grave" I mumbled. "He was your father Stark, and you're the one who's going to take him" Nat said, slapping me again. "R-relax… Stop… S-stop worrying…I'm f-fine" I mumbled, resting my head on the cool wall tiles. It didn't hurt as much now. "J…How long u-until the ambulance… g-gets here?" I asked. "3 minutes sir" came his calm reply. 3 minutes. "That too long…Bruce is there anything that you can do?" Natasha asked and he shook his head sadly, "I've only got the basics, nothing that can help this". Pain…there was so much pain. Slowly I closed my eyes, it wouldn't hurt to just sleep for a while would it? "For god's sake Stark" Nat growled, shaking me awake. "Ima wake, ima wake…5 m-more minutes" I whined. "Stark if you don't keep your eyes open, I'll bin every alcohol bottle in this building, starting with the scotch" she warned and I reluctantly opened my eyes, "you w-wouldn't dare". "Wanna bet?" she asked smirking. Then there was more coughing…I was still coughing up too much blood. I was just sooo tired. "Just l-l-little sleep m'kay?" I asked. "Keep him awake" Bruce ordered and a split second later, I felt Natasha hit me again. But I didn't care anymore. I couldn't breathe and I was dizzy and disoriented. And it hurt so, so much. The fire burning everything inside of me. I just wanted it to end. "Tell Pep-Pepper…I love h-her…and t-tell Thor…how to u-use a…microwave" I mumbled, closing my eyes again. "Tell them yourself. You're NOT going to leave us Stark" Nat growled and I smiled slightly, "ima miss y-you guys…". "Stark" she warned, slapping me again but I didn't open my eyes. I couldn't, if was as if a huge force was pushing down on me. "STARK" someone yelled, "DAMN IT STARK, OPEN YOUR EYES". This was it then. This was how the famous Tony Stark was going to die, half-naked with only a track suit pants in a pool of blood. Hey, I could think of worse ways to go.

* * *

_**OOOOOOHHH! MYSTERY!**_

_**Will he die? Will Clint find another Arc Reactor in time?**_

_**What happens next?**_

_***Dramatic sigh* You'll have to wait until the next chapter to find out!**_

_**But dont worry, i got some BRILLIANT NEWS!**_

_**I can officialy update every day! Or at the very least once every two days!**_

_**Maybe twice in one day!**_

_**Summer holidays from school, i love them!**_

_**Well that's it for now, stay posted for Chapter 3!**_

_**Rachel**_


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3! And I only started two days ago!**

**So happy! :)**

**Well, I'm not going to reveal all what happens in this chapter, or the next few, so I'm just going to say that things have to get worse before they can get better.**

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

I could hear voices…lots and lots of voices…but I couldn't identify them or hear what they were saying…and it was killing me…I could make out what type of voice though…soft, angry, a girl, a boy…and crying, someone was crying…a girl…and I knew it was Pepper. I couldn't tell her it was all right, I couldn't say I was fine, I couldn't even hold her hand. And I HATED it.

Then things started to get slightly better, I could hear ok again, and the voices…I could hear the voices… "Tony?" someone asked. That was Barton…Hey, Clint was here! "Come on Tony, wake up. It's been three weeks". Three weeks? It's been that long? "Bruce said talking to you would help…for you or me, I don't know…I think it's a bit of both really" he said, "we're missing you back at the tower…it's just not the same without you…there's no one to play pranks with…and there's no random noises from the lab at 3am in the morning. Believe it or not, I actually miss not getting any sleep cause of you… we all miss you… I miss you". Come on, wake up. I had to wake up. Open my eyes and talk to him. So I tried, I tried my hardest to wake up… and it worked. My eyes were open… and I could see… I could see! I was in a… hospital, judging by the white floor and ceiling… and the fact I was hooked up to a monitor. "Please wake up..." Clint continued and I turned to him. He had his head in his hands and was he…was he CRYING? Oh my god he was crying… "For me yea? Wake up for me? We need our crazy scientist back…even if you are an annoying jerk. We need you back Tony… I need you back". "Your gone soft" I said and he jumped in surprise. Literally. He jumped up to his feet, the chair toppling over backwards. "Tony?" he asked and I smirked, "Hey Barton".

"Oh my god, STARK" he yelled, giving me a huge hug. "Jeasus Barton, calm down…get off, get off….ow, ok that hurts…go on, shoo" I grumbled and he stepped back laughing, "sorry". "Ima k" I mumbled, looking around. I found your old reactor; you'll have to use it until you make up a new one. Right now you're in hospital" Clint explained, "SHIELD's hospital actually". "…Does that mean Nickie's here?" I asked. "Nickie?" "You know, old, bald, wears an eye patch". "Fury? Oh yea, he's here all right. And he's angry" Clint replied. "He's always angry". "True, but now he's REALLY angry. All because some idiot engineer almost died without telling anyone". I winced at that, "sorry Clint". "You could have told me you know. I wouldn't have breathed a word" he said quietly, picking back up the chair and sitting down again. "I know I just… I didn't want you to worry…" "Worry? You didn't want me to WORRY?" he yelled, "and how do you think I felt when Jarvis woke me up saying you were practically coughing up your guts?" "I'm sorry ok" I mumbled and he shook his head in disgrace, "you should have told someone, not even me, anyone. Pepper, Happy, Steve". "Steve?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at him. "Ok, yea, maybe not Steve" he agreed, nodding his head. "Pepper… how's….how's she doing?" I asked warily. "…She's…upset". "Putting it mildly" I mumbled. "Widows outside with Bruce if you want them to come in" he said after a few minutes. "Are they angry as well?" I asked. "Well you know Natasha, she's furious with you. And Bruce…I think Bruce is just disappointed" Clint replied. "…What would you say if I told you not to bring them in?" "I'd say you're a complete bastard and bring them in anyway" he replied and I sighed, "I don't have much choice then do I?" "Nope. I'll go get them" Clint said smirking as he stood up and left. What the hell was I going to say? 'I'm sorry I lied about dieing'? Or maybe 'Hey, I forgot to tell you, I almost died the other day'? I was screwed. Then the door opened and Clint walked back in, followed slowly by two other Avengers. We just stared at each other for a few minutes until Nat lost it. "YOU MORONIC, IDIOTIC JERK" she yelled, walking over and slapping my across the face, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING? DIDN'T YOU LEARN FROM THE LAST TIME?" Had I learnt from the last time?

"No, all I learnt last time when I almost died was if I kept it a secret, a black man would appear and say he's the director of a secret organisation that could help me and that my secretary was, in fact, a trained assassin who completely betrayed me!" I shouted back. She took a step back in shock and the other two stared at me surprised. "You were his secretary?" Clint finally asked. "It was a long time ago" she muttered. "It was LAST YEAR" I yelled. "Look Stark, that doesn't matter anymore. We're past that" she said firmly and I sighed, closing my eyes, "Where's Nickie?" "Outside" she replied. "Hang on; YOU know his nickname for Fury?" Barton asked surprised. "I know his nick name for everything Leocolas" she replied calmly, "I WAS his secretary". Clint shut up after that, clearly feeling betrayed that I hadn't told him about that. "Does he want to see me?" I asked. "Yep". "Now?" "Right now". "Can you stall?" I asked hopefully, opening up my eyes again. She shook her head, "I could, easily, but I'm not going to". "Traitor" I mumbled. "STARK" someone yelled loudly and I winced, "speak of the devil". "OUTSIDE, NOW" Fury shouted walking in and pointing at the others. Banner and Clint left straight away, where's Nat hesitated. "Agent Romanoff" Fury warned, pointing towards the door. She shot me an apologetic smile before leaving with the others. "STARK" he yelled, turning to me. "Hey Nickie, did you get a new eye patch? It suits you". "IM WARNING YOU STARK. SHUT. UP" he shouted and I swallowed back the jokes that came to mind. An angry Fury was a scary Fury. "WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?" "Ouch, watch the language Nick". "FUCK THAT. THIS IS THE LAST STRAW STARK" he yelled and I looked up in surprise, "The last straw?" "BETWEEN LAST YEAR, ALLMOST GETTING YOURSELF BLOWN UP BY THE NUKE, AND THIS" he yelled, "THAT'S IT. WE'RE THROUGH. YOU'RE DONE". "When you say done, do you mean-"I started but he cut me off, "THE TEAM STARK, IM KICKING YOU OFF THE AVENGERS".

* * *

I was…done. That was it. Fury had officially fired me from the Avengers. I was…simply done. No more team. No more fighting. No more anything. I was finished. I didn't talk after Fury left, I couldn't, the only thing I could think of were his vicious words, ripping me open. "The team Stark, I'm kicking you off the Avengers". Could he even do that? Well, apparently he could, cause he just did. It was over.

"Tony? OH MY GOD TONY!" someone yelled, running over and pulling me into a hug. Pepper. "Kicking you off the Avengers". "Tony? Tony, come on, Tony?" she asked, pulling back and looking at me. "Kicking you off the Avengers". I stared blankly at her and she looked over at someone else in the room. Oh, hey, Rogers was here. I didn't see him come in. I kind of had just frozen up after Fury had left. "Steve…what's the matter?" Pepper asked, on the verge of crying. I wanted to comfort her, I really did but my mind kept flashing back to what Fury had said. "Kicking you off the Avengers". "Pepper…lets step outside for a minute" Steve replied quietly and was that… oh my god… he had tears in his eyes as well. Surely he wouldn't miss me that much…would he? Pepper looked back down at me worried, the fear clear in her eyes before slowly following him out. "Kicking you off the Avengers".

* * *

After that, everything happened in more or less a blur. People tried to get me to talk, I was allowed up, people tried to get me to talk, then I was allowed to go home, people tried to get me to talk, and then I was back in my Malibu Cliffside house. "Thanks Happy" Pepper muttered as we stepped out in front of the house. Home. This was my home. Since I was no longer part of the Avengers, I decided I would no longer stay in the Tower. Personally, I didn't think I'd be able to cope if I stayed there, surrounded by the team. So I moved back home. I had Jarvis, Dummy and the bots, my lab and, occasionally, Pepper. I would continue Stark Enterprises, and live my life like I'd never been part of the Avengers. SHIELD would sort out the press, telling them I was recovering from the battle of Manhattan until they thought of something else. And that was it. I still had my suits; I would NEVER let SHIELD get hold of them, who knows what Nickie would do with them? So I put my whole lab at the Avengers Tower on lock down, now no one could get in except for me, and I changed all the codes for the suits and machines, and I dismantled Jarvis. The lab was completely inaccessible.

"Come on Tony, please" Pepper pleaded once we had gotten back inside, "you have to talk sometime". I shook my head before walking away, down to my Malibu lab. I missed this lab. I was greeted by the joyful chirp of Dummy, Butterfingers and You. "Good afternoon sir" Jarvis's cool voice echoed through the deserted lab. I didn't bother replying; I just nodded, and then grinned when Butterfingers managed to knock over a few boxes in his rush to get to me, with the others close behind. I had missed those guys.

* * *

A knock on the glass door caught my attention and I rolled out from under the car, wiping my hands on an old oily rag. It was Clint…wonder what he's doing here… "Sir shall I let him in?" Jarvis asked and I thought for a minute before nodding slowly. "Hey Tony" Barton said cheerfully as I went back to working on the car. I was building it from scratch, as a hobby I guessed, and it was almost finished. Clint gave a low whistle when he saw it, "nice ride". It was silent for another few minutes until he finally cracked. "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD STARK" he yelled, throwing his hands in the air frustrated, "WILL YOU JUST SAY SOMETHING". I remained completely silent, just continued working on the engine. He sighed, "Look Tony, I didn't come here to yell. The whole teams angry at Fury for kicking you out and we're doing everything we can to get you back, but you have to help us here". Silence. "Jeasus Tony, just say something…anything…just so I know you can actually still talk". Nothing. "I'm serious Tony, you not talking is like me without my bow, or Steve without his shield, or even Thor without Mjolnir. It's not right. You could talk for New York, heck; you could talk for all of America!" Couldn't he see? I didn't want to talk. Because as he said, me talking meant everything was all right. And it's not. Nothings right.

"Kicked off the team". Well fuck you too Fury. Angrily throwing down the wrench, I put my head in my hands. It wasn't fair. I couldn't be off the Avengers. It wasn't the Avengers without the annoying jerk in a suit. Who was going to brighten everyone's mood with sarcastic jokes have way through a fight? Who was going to calm down Hulk when he completely lost it? Who was going to look for Banner's half naked body when the fight was over? ME. That's who. And now I was gone. "Come on Stark, we'll figure something out. You know Fury, he'll need your help soon, on AND off the Avengers, and when that time comes, you can tell him that unless he puts you back in the team, you won't work for him. The rest of us will back you up" Clint said, patting me on the back and I smiled, thinking of the others, Natasha with her Widows bite, Clint with his bow and arrows, Thor with his hammer, Bruce with the other guy, and Steve with his shield. Steve. My mind flashed back to what I had said in the kitchen. "Like my father?" That single sentence must have ripped him open. I knew I shouldn't have said it but in the heat of the moment… I had to say sorry. I quickly straightened up, going over to my desk and finding a notebook. Opening it on a black page, I looked around for a- "Chirp-p-p". I turned to face Dummy. He was holding a pen. Grinning, I took the pen and patted him on the head. I loved that bot. Then I turned back and ripped out the page, writing down a small note, folding it and writing ROGERS in capital letters in front before handing it to Clint. "For Cap?" he asked and I nodded. He looked at me weirdly but nodded, "sure, I'll give it to him when I go back…You know, it's actually quiet scary you not talking". I just smirked and went back to my car. At the rate I was going, I'd probably be after giving up alcohol by the end of the week. Then again… probably not.

* * *

"Sir, I believe has arrived" Jarvis told me. Clint had left about two hours ago and I was now attempting to fix the reactor. So far, it wasn't really working out. "Shall I let him in?" Jarvis asked and I nodded, tidying up my desk. "STARK" someone barked. Guess Nickie's here. Calmly turning to him, I watched as he stopped just inside the door. He never was much of personal kind of guy. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?" I motioned around me, before scribbling down a few words and holding it up. 'What do you think? I'm working'. "So it is true then. Your giving everyone the silent treatment" he grumbled, crossing his arms. 'Looks like it'. "And how long is this going to last?" he asked and I thought for a minute before slowly writing down my answer. 'As long as it has to'.

"Look Stark, just cause your off the Avengers, doesn't mean you're out of SHIELD. We still need you to make weapons". Now I'm not usually the one for bad languages… wait what the hell am I saying? I love swearing. So I wrote down the first thing that came to mind. 'Screw you Bastard'. He glared at me for that and took a threating step forward. Now, any sane man would stand down, back away from his dangerous glare and apologise to Fury, to retreat against the man who could kill you with a snap of his fingers. But so far, all the evidence points me to being insane. So, as crazy and messed up as I was, I stood my ground, glaring back at him. He seemed surprised that I didn't back off but quickly hid it behind an emotionless mask. "You sure you don't want to reconsider that?" he asked, his voice dangerous sounding, "I mean with that type of attitude, there's no hope of you being put back on the team'. He thought he was winning, he thought he had something against me. Well sorry Fury, but I honestly didn't care anymore. I had been electrocuted inside out, I almost died, and then I was kicked off the team that my life focused around. All because of this bastard. So I wrote down exactly what I thought of him. 'Go Fuck Yourself Nickie'. I swear his hand twitched towards the gun in his pocket, and I couldn't help but smirk. "You'll be hearing from us soon" he muttered before storming out. I…I had just beat Fury at his own game. And despite the current situation, I laughed. I couldn't help it. I had just won an argument against NICK FURY! That seriously deserved to be put in the Guinness Book of World Records.

* * *

I was still laughing quietly to myself half an hour later when Steve arrived with Natasha. That was four visitors in the past 6 hours. Jeez, I'm really getting popular aren't I? "Is it true then?" Nat asked, "your seriously not talking until your put back on the team?" I sighed and held up my notebook. 'What? No 'hello' or 'Hey'?' "Oh my god its true" she muttered before looking back up at me, "What did you say to Fury by the way?" 'Why?' "Well, number one, he seems to be in shock, number two, he's even grouchier than usual and number three, he was cursing your name none stop for at least 20 minutes in 7 different languages". I burst out laughing again and both Avengers looked at me like I had three heads. So I tossed her my side of the conversation Fury and I had. Within 30 seconds she was laughing as well and Steve started to look worried. Then he caught a glimpse of what I had wrote and his eyes went wide. "You didn't" he exclaimed. 'Trust me. I did' I wrote down, holding it up. "You told Fury to fuck off?" Natasha asked, wiping the tears from her eyes and I nodded, "oh my god. Stark, your now my hero. I have to take pictures of this". So while she was taking photos of the notes, Steve slowly walked over to me, pulling out a piece of paper from him pocket. The note I had sent him. I gulped and went back to my work. I knew this was coming, and I was rubbish at explaining my feelings, so this was going to be really awkward.

"I got your note" he muttered and I nodded. Please don't make me write this out. "And I'm sorry". Now that I was not expecting. I looked up at him surprised but he avoided my gaze. "I shouldn't have compared you to your father. Not after everything that happened between you two". Awww, Caps apologising. Picking back up my pen, he glanced over at me as I wrote down a new message. 'It's my fault. You should know by now that I have a bad temper'. He chuckled at that, "anger issues? Yep, I figured that out the first day we met". 'So…I'm sorry' I wrote down and he frowned, "you're sorry. I'm sorry. Let's call it even ok?" I nodded, grinning and he sighed, "glad that's over. I'm rubbish when it comes to these things'. I laughed before picking up the pen again, 'that's exactly was I was thinking'.

"BUTTERFINGERS!" Natasha yelled and I spun around to face her. The bot in question was currently tugging at the paper. I quickly ran over and tapped him on the head…well, where his head would have been if he had one. The robot chirped sadly, turning to be and I wagged my finger at him. He hung his head in shame, making an apologetic sigh and rolled away. "Did he just…say sorry?" Steve asked in amazement. Oh yea, I forgot he was new to the whole robot thing. I nodded and whistled. A few seconds later, Dummy rushed over and I patted him affectingly. He chirped happily and Steve stared at us in shock. "He just…did he…do they understand you?" he asked and You rushed over to him as I nodded. Rogers took a step back surprised and stared at the robot. "His name is 'You'" Natasha explained. "Why is he called You?" Steve asked and I looked up at the nearest camera. Thankfully, Jarvis got the message. "You was built a year into sir's stay at MIT. One of his professors refused to learn his name, calling him 'you' and insulting everything he did. When the students were partnered up, his Professor said, and I quote, "I'm not going to let you screw up someone else's project by making them work with you". With Dummy's help, built another bot two days before that next class. When the Professor walked in that morning, was already building his project with You handing him parts" Jarvis explained and I smirked at the memory. The look on that Professors face when I told him You's name was priceless. "Seriously? That's how the name happened?" Nat asked and I nodded. "So his name is You" Rogers finished and I nodded again. "Interesting" Nat muttered, "I mean, I knew the bots name already, just never knew how it came about…You know Stark, you really are a jerk". I grinned and held up a new sign. 'Thanks'

* * *

** CHAPTER 3 IS FINISHED!**

**What do ye think? Is it good, bad or 'Meh'?**

**Special thanks to everyone who's followed, favourite (is that even a word?) and reviewed my story,**

**There too many names to call out, so MEGA THANKS to EVERYONE!**

**Until next time…**

**Rachel :)**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4 is here!**

**This is the third chapter I've done in a single day!**

**THANK GODZILLA FOR SUMMER HOLIDAYS!**

**Brief synapsis of this chapter - …I have no idea of what I'm about to write :p**

**WARNING-Tony's a little…severely depressed**

**Just making it up as I go along :)**

* * *

**_ -Chapter 4-_**

The days passed in a blur, and then it the week was up, then another few days, and then another week. Before I knew it, two months was gone and a new one had started. A full two months of no Fury or SHIELD. A full two months of fixing the Arc Reactor. And a full two months of me not talking. I had been silent for a full two months; I didn't even talk to myself when no one was around. The only time I had opened my mouth was to either laugh, which never actually happened after the first week, or to whistle to get the bots, or Jarvis's, attention. The team had visited me nearly every day but after the first week, their work caught up on them and between protecting the city and rebuilding Manhattan, they were weighed down. Their visits stopped all together after two weeks. And Pepper was still mad at me, so she only came when I had to sign something. But we both knew she could do my signature better than I could so she rarely came either. Rhodey had called in once or twice, but that was it. So that left only me, Jarvis, and the bots.

I couldn't remember the last time I had slept. I couldn't even remember when I had last eaten. And the only way I continued to know the date and time, was Jarvis's constant reminder every morning. Or what I thought was morning. I literally only lived to drink coffee and fix the Reactor. And soon, that too, was eventually fixed. The reactor was fixed. I even updated it, adding everything I could possible think off into the small blue device. Then when that was back in my chest, I concentrated on the car. Then I finished building that. And then…then I had nothing to do. Well, no, that's not entirely true. There was PLEANTY to do, but I just didn't have the heart for it. I had finished all my projects, I had updated all of the Bots to the highest standard possible, and I had no Avengers to occupy the rest of my time. No one to talk to…no one to play jokes on…I didn't even have my suit to tinker around with. I was simply…done. Nothing left to do. Pepper ran Stark Enterprises, the team…well, they did whatever the Avengers did, and I was left to do whatever there was to do. It was horrible. And I couldn't even bring myself to care anymore. I was just… empty.

I hadn't known what the Avengers Team had actually meant to me until it was gone…It was only now I realised that it was solely just the Avengers that my whole world had circulated around…A team of superhero's that I was even meant to be part of in the first place. I wasn't even a superhero. I was just a guy in a suit. A guy with an IQ rivalling Albert Einstein's, but still just a guy. Just a guy. A famous genius, billionaire, playboy philanthropist that was currently being forced to hide from the press. Fury still hadn't gotten in touch so I didn't have someone to annoy. I stopped eating, I stopped sleeping, and I even stopped drinking. I was so out of it, I had given up alcohol, literally throwing away every bottle in my house, from the obvious Scotch bottles in the press, to the hidden whiskey bottles behind the couch. There was no alcohol at all in the house. Even the tequilas were gone. I was just plain messed up.

"Sir, I believe there is someone at the door" Jarvis announced, pulling me from my thoughts. For the past…I didn't know how long, hours? Days? Weeks? I had stayed in the lab, just sitting at the empty desk, staring at air. Taking out the notebook, I scribbled down three words before holding it up to the nearest camera. 'Who is it?' "I believe its sir" Jarvis replied. Bruce…I hadn't seen him in a while… I hadn't seen anyone in a while… "Shall I let him in?" 'Wait five minutes, if he still hasn't left, let him in'. I held my note up to the camera again. "Very well sir, timer starting…now". I counted down in my head, having nothing else to do. 4:14…..2:04…..0:24. "Sir is still outside and says he refuses to leave until you let him in" Jarvis said. 'Ask him why'. "As you wish sir". A few minutes later the AI's voice sounded again, " says…well, he says he is worried and says that he only found out today that no one has seen or heard from you in nine weeks sir". Worried… That was a new one. Slowly, I held up a new note, hoping I was making the right choice. 'Let Him In'.

* * *

"Tony?" Bruce's call echoed through the empty house. "Hey, Tony, you here?" He was closer now. "Stark?" Then he reached the lab. 'Don't let him in J'. "Forgive for saying sir, but do you think that is wise?" Normally I would snap back with a smart comment or rude remark when Jarvis went against my better judgement, but I hadn't it in me anymore. 'Tell him to say what he wants now'. Putting back down my notebook, I heard Jarvis relay the message to Bruce outside the door. "Tony for God's sake, let me in" Bruce yelled, his voice slightly muffled by the glass. I didn't reply, I didn't even hold up a note. I just stared at my empty desk and waited. "Please Tony". His voice was more urgent now. But why would he care about me? There was no logical, or rational, reason to. "Tony…I'm…I'm begging you" he continued. He was…begging? Why would Banner beg? What was the point when he could just Hulk out and smash down the door with the flick of his finger? "Look Tony, you need help whether you want to admit it or not. I'm worried about you, everyone is". There was the same urgent tone to his voice. Maybe he really was worried… "Please", his voice cracked, "just let me in. Just me. No one else. Just you and me". Slowly I turned to him. He had faint tears in his eyes, as if he was going to cry but didn't want to. He actually cared about me… I raised my hand to the nearest camera and a second later the door slid open. "Thank you sir" Jarvis muttered as Bruce actually RAN over to me, pulling me into a hug. "Oh my god Tony, don't ever do that again". Do what? He pulled back, but keeping both hands on my shoulders, and looked me up and down, "Damn it. Look at you!" That didn't sound like Bruce…Bruce never cursed…"When was the last time you slept?" I shrugged. "When was the last time you ate or drank anything?" he asked before seeing the cup on my table, "BESIDES coffee?" I shrugged again. "Jeez Tony, you need help" he muttered, before pulling me up, "Come on. We got to get you food, you're probably already anorexic". I stumbled, the lack of sleep and food finally catching up with me, before Bruce sighed and put my arm over his shoulder. "Seriously though, we all thought SHIELD was keeping an eye on you, or at least Pepper or Rhodey…You know Fury's going to kill you if he finds out about this". I nodded slowly. I honestly didn't care. Not anymore. Not when I had nothing left to live for.

* * *

Half an hour later, Bruce had forced me to eat some lunch, and unforcently, called the others. Within another half hour, the Avengers had arrived, Steve…Clint…Thor…and Natasha. Jarvis had let them all in. And when they saw me they just…froze. I didn't blame them really, I looked like a mess. Really thin, really pale, and with huge purple bruises under my eyes from no sleep. They didn't even say anything. They just stared…and stared… horrified of what I had become. I couldn't even bring myself to stare back at them; I just sat on a stool at the kitchen isle, my head resting in my hands on the worktop. It was Clint who finally spoke. "You look like shit" he said bluntly and Natasha elbowed him in the ribs. I didn't even bother to smile. "Seriously man" he continued, walking over to me, "what the hell have you been doing?". I automatically tapped the Reactor. "You fixed it?" he asked and I nodded. "Eight weeks ago" informed Bruce," He hasn't done anything since, no food, no water, and no sleep". "AT ALL?" Rogers asked and Bruce shook his head. "I…I thought Pepper was checking up on him" Natasha said slowly. "When was the last time she was here?" Bruce asked me and I shrugged indifferently. "Okay, now, seriously Tony. When was the last time anyone came here?" he asked, handing me a pen and paper. "Still not talking" Rogers mumbled as I wrote down the answer. '2 weeks'. "Then why didn't they-" Clint started but Natasha cut him off, "Let me rephrase Banners question. When was the last time anyone saw you?". Ah, Nat, always the smart one. I picked up the blue pen again. '7 weeks, 3 days, 17 hours'.

"He kept count…"Bruce said, trailing off. I didn't even knew I had been keeping count…keeping count of the hours no one bothered to see if I was all right. No one cared…and what was the point? I was nothing compared to the others…I had no giant green half, or assassin skills, or even super strength…I was nothing. I didn't even have an evil adoptive brother trying to take over the world. I had nothing…simply nothing. Then I was hit by a wave of nausea, and I stumbled off the chair, rushing to the bathroom, tripping a good few times along the way, and running over to the toilet before vomiting violently. Guess the lunch didn't agree with me. "Jeez Tony, you really have messed up haven't you" Bruce muttered, running after me, "your borderline anorexic, body can't cope with the food". Borderline Anorexic…severely underweight. I'd never gotten that bad before…then again, I'd never been kicked out of the Avengers before… "Bruce, what's happening?" Nat asked knocking on the bathroom door as I finished throwing up. "He's vomiting…very badly" Banner replied, kneeling down next to me, "you ok?". I nodded slowly, resting my head on the cold floor tiles. "Come on, get some sleep, I'll stay with you tonight" he said handing me a glass of water…Water? He must have gotten it before he came after me. I rinsed out my mouth, getting rid of all vomit tasting particles before he helped me up, walking out past the other Avengers. I could feel their worried gazes rest on me but I didn't bother look up. "I'll watch him tonight, ye guys can go home" Bruce said quietly, as I leaned back against the wall for support. I was tired…so, so tired. I briefly remember the others nodding and patting me on the back, saying their goodbyes before Bruce half carried me up to my room. I couldn't actually remember the last time I'd been in here. He let go of my arm once we reached the bed and I slowly crawled under the covers, not bothering to change. Bruce sighed as he watched me, before taking a seat in the corner of the room, "Night Tony".

The next few days passed rather quickly, and each day I was slowly become more like my old self. I had started eating again, in small amounts so I wouldn't throw up, and even managed to get a few hours' sleep. I was so exhausted, the nightmares stayed at bay, and I woke fully refreshed. True to his word, Bruce stayed with me the first night, and half of the second day, until Thor took over, staying until the next morning. Then Clint, then Steve, then Natasha and then Bruce again. They had a set timetable, and they stuck to it. It was nice, having the team around, even if they were practically babysitting me, but it was also a constant reminder that I was no longer part of the team. That part was horrible. The bots had noticed my change too, and they chirped happily each time they saw me. No one told Fury or SHIELD, no one told Rhodey, and no one told Pepper…until she showed up.

* * *

"Stark! I need you to check over someth-" the words died on her mouth when she saw me. Natasha and I were sitting over by the window, staring out at the slowly rising sun. "Oh. My. God" Pepper mumbled, dropping the papers, "L-l-look at you!". I wasn't that bad was I? Then again, even though I was getting better, I didn't look any better. I was still pale and thin, and even though the bruising under my eyes had faded slightly, it was still obvious I hadn't slept in a while. She rushed over, fussing about it the usual Pepper-like way. "Look at you" she said again, "you look...horrible". "You should have seen him a week ago" Nat muttered, but the anger was clear in her voice. I knew she was still furious at Pepper for not checking up on me, even though I didn't need a babysitter, but Natasha didn't see it my way. She saw it as if it was Peppers fault that I went all messed up and was still VERY annoyed at her. Pepper turned to her surprised, "what?". "He almost died Potts. AGAIN. He hadn't slept, ate or drank in over 8 weeks. He's even thrown away his whole alcohol collection" she said, her voice rising towards the end. I winced at that. Almost died... I mean I knew I had SERIOUSLY let myself go but wasn't 'almost died' a bit extreme? Pepper turned back to me shocked, "you what?". "Don't you dare pin this on him Pepper" Nat warned, "sure he could have tried to stop the whole depression thing but what was the point? He had no one there for him". "And where were you?" Pepper asked angrily. "I had visited him nearly every day for the first week before I decided it would be better to spend my time trying to get him back on the team" Nat yelled. Now, normally, I would LOVE to have two women fighting over me, but that was before me and the Avengers went our separate ways and I lost my will to care about anything. Picking up my notebook, I scribbled down a not before holding it up. They both ignored me and continued to argue. Great. Sighing, I wolf whistled loudly and pointed to the sign. They both snapped their heads towards me, slowly taking in the note. 'Shut up both of you. Natasha, it's my fault and mine solely, you're just as much to blame as Pepper. And Pep, don't you dare blame Nat when she DID see me more than you did. So both of you be quiet and if you want to blame someone, blame me'. "You got to be kidding me" Pepper grumbled, "your still not talking?". "If you were actually here, you would have known that he hasn't breathed a word in 9 weeks" Nat grumbled and I flicked her on the forehead. "Ow, hey, what was that for?" She asks angrily. 'You're not allowed to argue. Now both of ye hug and make up'. They stared at the note unbelievingly. 'Ye used to be best friends for god's sake. Now DO IT'. I let the words sink in before flicking them both on the forehead again and motioning for them to hug. They did so reluctantly and then glared at me, so I smirked, writing down another note 'Just trying to help'.

* * *

"STARK!" someone yelled, entering the lab and I held up a note over my head, not bothering to turn around. 'I thought I heard your dulcet tones Nickie'. " " Fury greeted before turning back to me, "still not talking huh?" .It was just Bruce and I down in the lab, the others far away doing whatever the Avengers did these days. And now Fury had to ruin it. 'Looks like it' I wrote, holding it up as he walked over to me, standing in front of the desk. "Look, Stark. I don't care that you're not talking, in fact, I'm very happy about it, because it knocks another sarcastic jerk off my list, I don't care that you spend all your time in the lab, I don't care that you haven't left the house in almost 9 weeks, and I don't even care that you look like shit. What I care about, is why you're not making me weapons". I just yawned and completely blanked him. "DON'T YOU DARE IGNORE ME STARK" he yelled and I slowly wrote down what I had told him 8 weeks ago, exaggerating the crosses on 'f's and the curls on the 'y' and 's' , before holding it up. 'GO. FUCK. YOURSELF'. He actually put his hand on his gun this time, while Bruce tried to muffle a nervous laugh. "Look Stark. My patience is wearing thin. And when I lose my patience, I get angry. And you don't want to see me angry". I yawned again before scribbling down another note. 'You've already kicked me off the team. There's nothing else you can possible use a blackmail'. He glared at me, but I could see the hopelessness in his eyes…or…well…eye. "You've got three days to complete this" he said, putting a list in front of me," or else". Then he left.

I groaned as I looked at the list of weapons Fury wanted me to make in three days. I could make them all easily, and I knew I could also finish them all in ONE day, but the fact remained that I had to make weapons. And I simply DON'T make weapons. Sure I did when I was part of the Avengers, making and updating our own weapons, but for SHIELD? No way. Bruce stared after Fury before slowly coming over to me. "You going to do it?" he asked quietly and I thought for a moment. Nickie had said "Or else", and even though the threat itself didn't bother me, I didn't like the way he was looking at Dummy when he said it. If he took Dummy… No, I wasn't going to think about that. Right now I had to sort out this problem…and I think I had an idea. 'Yes ima do it' I wrote and Bruce looked at me in surprise. "YOU'RE going to build WEAPONS for SHIELD?" he asked and I nodded. 'Course I am. But what Nickie failed to specify was WHAT he wanted with the weapons'. "I don't get you" Bruce muttered and I sighed. 'Fury wants weapons right?'. "Right" he agreed. 'Well I'm going to give him his weapons', I wrote, 'but with a few…minor…details changed'. "You're going to add a little extra to them aren't you?" Bruce asked, grinning slightly and I nodded. 'I'm going to make Fury wish he'd never ever heard the name Tony Stark. I'm going to be his worse nightmare'.

* * *

_**Wow, Chapter 4 finish already… Time really does fly when your having fun!**_

_**This will be the last chapter for tonight, my hands are killing me for all the typing, but I'll have at least Chapter 5 done by tomorrow evening.**_

_**Poor Tony!**_

_**What do ye guys think? Is he getting better? Worse? Or staying the same?**_

_**I'm actually rushing the story a bit (IM SORRY!)**_

_**I say it'll be done by Chapter 10, but then again…I'm always full of surprises ;)**_

_**Until tomorrow, I bid thy Farwell (That's sounds quiet like Thor doesn't it…)**_

**Rachel :)**


	6. Chapter 5

_**CHAPTER 5!**_

_**I know I said I'd do this tomorrow… but I just can't wait that long!**_

_**So I'm doing it now :)**_

_**Thank you once again for everyone's awesome reviews!**_

_**So far there is:**_

_**9 Reviews.**_

_**10 Favourites**_

_**17 followers**_

_**1,192 Views**_

_**All in THREE DAYS!**_

_**SO HAPPY!**_

* * *

**-Chapter 5-**

"Times up Stark" Fury said, walking into the sitting room. How the hell- Jarvis. I glared up at the nearest camera. "I'm sorry sir, but he wouldn't take no for an answer" came Jars weak reply. "Damn right I won't. Now where are my weapons?" he asked and I clicked my fingers. A split second later the elevator doors opened and Fury whistled at the amount of boxes. "You've been busy". 'You asked for them' I wrote and he nodded, "true. But I didn't think you'd actually built them". 'You learn a new thing every day'. "Well Stark" he started, looking me up and down, "well, you still look like shit, and your still not talking…but you've built the weapons. That's the main thing. I'll send some SHIELD agents to collect the stuff later…" He stared at me for a second longer, thinking, before shaking his head and walking away. Strange. Then again, words like 'strange' and 'Nick Fury' get together quite a lot. Now I just had to wait.

'Hi. My names Tony Stark and I'm an alcoholic'. The others grinned at the sign I held up. I was standing in front of the biggest T.V I could find, ironically enough in the home theatre, and the others were sitting randomly around me, Thor and Steve on the couch, Bruce in the armchair, Pepper in the other armchair, Natasha on the floor, and Clint next to her. I dropped the sheet and turned the next one around to face them. 'In case you don't know, or you're completely stupid, Nickie recently asked me to build weapons for him'. I dropped sign number 2, revealing the next one. 'I said yes'. Steve opened his mouth to argue but I cut him off by showing them the next sign. 'I knew you would interrupt Capcicle, so I did this sign for you'. The others laughed as he went red with embarrassment and I grinned before dropping the next one. 'As I was saying. I agreed'. Next one… 'But what I didn't tell him (and it's his own fault for not specifying EXACTLY what he wanted) was that I bugged every weapon'. They all clapped and 'whooped' at this, cheering that I didn't give in. 'The reason I gathered ye all here tonight'. "I thought you were going to start talking again" Clint said and I grinned as I dropped the next sign. 'Not yet Legolas'. Everyone laughed at that as well. 'Well the reason I asked ye all to meet me here, is because tonight, I'm going to make Fury wish that he'd never heard of me. Tonight, I'm going to show him exactly what a pissed-off Stark can do'. There were more cheers at that. 'This is what controls the weapons…other uses'. Dropping that note, I took out a small remote control, tossing it to Clint and motioning for him to pass it around before holding up the next note. 'As you can see, it has 14 buttons, meaning we all get two turns each'. 'Let's show him hell, men…and ladies'. Clint grinned mischievously at me as I held up the last sign. 'Let the show begin'.

* * *

"How did he get into SHIELD's cameras?" Bruce asked warily as I brought up the main camera for Fury's office. "Oh, he hacks into regularly " Jarvis explained and Natasha shot me a look. Sighing, I held up another sign. 'Either promise not to tell SHIELD Natasha, or get out'. "Fine Stark, I promise" she grumbled and Clint glared at me, "How come you don't think I'll tell SHIELD?" he asked and I smirked, holding up another note. 'Because you wouldn't miss this for the world'. He grinned and nodded, "Fury's payback time". Two more minutes…there. Turning off the lights, I brought the live camera up on the huge T.V screen, grabbing the weapons remote, and lying down on the ground next to Clint. Quickly writing down a new note, I held it up just as Nickie entered his office, with SHIELD agents towing in the weapons behind him. 'Ye guys ready? The start the countdown!' They all smiled at my enthusiasm; even it was written down, before doing as told. "10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…GO" they shouted and I clicked the first button before tossing the remote up to Pepper behind me. For a split second, nothing happened. Then there was a bang on screen and bright pink and purple smoke started drifting out from one of the boxes. "What's that?" Fury roared and the agent holding the box dropped it in fright, making us all laugh. "If that's broken I swear to god" Fury mumbled, bending down and opening the box, before jumping back as the smoke started pouring out twice as fast. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?" he yelled, coughing. The three agents were running around like headless chickens. "I like your colour choice" Bruce mused, nodding and I grinned. The best was yet to come.

"OH MY GOD" Clint said, clutching his side. He had stitches from laughing so much. They all had, even Captain America who was usually calm and serious. So far, there had been explosions, confetti, and a rather nasty incident involving tooth paste, and a Barbie sticker…don't ask. I scrambled to my feet, holding up another note so they all could see it. 'Last one. Any bidders?'. "Oooh me! Me! Pick me!" Clint shouted excitedly, waving his hand in the air. "Aw come on Barton, Tony should do this one, he did after all set these up" Natasha said and Thor nodded, "I agree. I believe Man of Iron should indeed have his last fight". I sighed; Thor really had to get a modern dictionary sometime. "Fine" Clint grumbled, tossing me the remote, "make it a good one Starky". Grinning, I pressed the final button on the remote. Number 14.

What happened next, to say the least, was very…amusing. One of the boxes (the biggest one) I said had weapons in it (which it did not), exploded, sending pink confetti everywhere, about 30 balloons reading 'Congratulations it's a girl!' emerged, and a tiny little robot, whom I had nick-named 'Girlie', appeared. She looked around for a few seconds before doing her job, playing "Mama I'm a big girl now" from Hairspray really loud. The others around me had tears in their eyes from all the laughing. 'It's not done yet'. The sign I held up made them calm down and turn back to the screen, wondering what the hell I could possibly do to make this more embarrassing for Fury. "Hey, Nickie, I heard the news. A girl right? Congratulations" one of the agents said, patting him on the back. "You started thinking off names yet?" another one asked, "Sasha's a nice name…what do you think?" The third and final agent shuffled up to him. This was the part that would make it or break it. "Not to be rude or anything" he said awkwardly," but…who's the father?" Made it. Everyone around me had tears streaming down their face, clutching their sides, and Steve had actually fallen off the couch. The look on Fury's face was…priceless! He looked ready to murder anyone who set foot within a 10 meter radius of him. The three agents quickly left running back into the corridor before he could touch them. "How…how…h-h-"Pepper started but she another laughing fit took over before she could finish. "The a-agents" she managed to say, "how did…how did you g-get them to, hahaha". She fell off the armchair, onto my lap, laughing her head off. 'We're not the only ones who want to set a score with Fury' I wrote, showing it to her. She nodded, grinning madly as she sat back up. I clapped my hands for attention and pointed towards the screen. It wasn't finished yet. "Cause mama I'm a big girl now" Girlie finished, taking a bow as she handed Fury a bunch of pink flowers. "WHO MADE YOU?" he yelled, "WHO DID ALL THIS?" My poor bot shrank back in fright. Thankfully, Jarvis took over her controls then and explained. "Well Nickie, after everything you put through, I thought you would have known he'd get his revenge" the AI said and I nodded thankfully up at the camera. But J was finished yet… "Starks behind this?" Fury shouted. "Yes, I believe sir put it as 'setting the score'. Oh, and congratulations by the way, I just got the news. A girl is it? Why how delightful". Fury raised his hand to grab the robot but she backed out of reach. "One more thing I should tell you director" Jarvis said, "Smile, you're on camera".

"I say you have…30 seconds to run" Bruce told me as Fury slowly turned to face the camera. "STARK!" he screamed, before charging out of his office, and running flat out towards the elevators. Grabbing my pen, I hastily scribbled down some words. 'You were epic, J, thanks. Take care of the bots'. Holding the note up to Jarvis's camera, I waited until he beeped in agreement before writing down another note and handing it to Natasha. 'Send flowers to my grave?' She looked back up and smirked, "I'll make sure they get there personally, now GO". I dashed towards the door, the others grinning after me. "He is SO dead" Clint said and Steve sighed, "you can say that again".

* * *

"I'LL COUNT TO THREE STARK, THEN YOU BETTER STOP HIDING" Fury yelled, bursting into the sitting room where I was currently behind the couch. I'd been playing hide and seek with him for the past half hour. "1…2…LAST CHANCE STARK…3" he yelled, before starting to look around the room. I waited until he had his back turned before throwing a paper airplane at his head, and running into the kitchen, jumping up on the counter and climbing into the air-duct. Fury caught my leg at the last second. "Oh no you don't" he growled, grabbing my foot. Kicking frantically, I tried to escape but he had a firm grip, and managed to pull me down. I landed painfully on the kitchen floor below, hitting my head off the counter. My vision blackened for a few seconds but that's all Fury needed, and when I could see again, he had dragged a chair over, sitting on it backwards like they did in all the movies…and he placed a gun to my head. "Talk" he hissed and I stuck my tongue out at it. What I was not expecting, was him punching me across the face. "TALK" he shouted as I leant back against the wall. Maybe if I- then he hit me again. Harder, way harder, and I could taste the rustiness of blood in my mouth. "I WARNED YOU STARK" he yelled, "NOW TALK OR I SWEAR I'LL BLOW YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF". Hmmm…this was a side of Fury I'd never seen before. Slowly reaching inside my jacket, I pulled out a small sheet of paper and handed it to him. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" he asked and I motioned for him to open it. He looked at my warily before pocketing his gun and slowly unfolding the sheet of paper. "What does it say…'what do you think of Emma? I think that's a nice name, but I prefer Chloe. Lot of love, Stark'…WHY YOU BASTARD" he said, yelling the last part as he tore up the note, wasting a few seconds. But that's all I needed. I quickly jumped up, laughing and started to run again, grinning as he chased after me, cursing. Natasha was right; he could curse in 7 languages. "GET BACK HERE YOU MOTHERFUCKER" Fury yelled and a bullet flew over my head. He was SHOOTING AT ME? Cheater. No shooting allowed. He fired a few more shots, all of them missing me thankfully, before the gun clocked empty and he threw it to one side before tackling me. I hit the wooden floor with a soft thud, and began to roll, finally stopping as I hit the wall. Jeez, that hurt. "STARK I TOLD YOU TO BACK OFF" Fury yelled, getting to his feet and walking over to me, "AND THEN YOU GO AND DO…THAT?" I nodded, smirking as I tried to stand up but Nickie firmly pushed me back down, leaning in and whispering to me, his voice scary and dangerous sounding, "Listen to me Stark. I was prepared to give you another chance, even if that chance was slim and most likely not going to happen. But now you've gone and thrown that chance back in my face and now I'm angry. Do you know what I do when I get this angry Stark? No? Well I hurt people. I hurt the people that make me angry. That means you. Forget about the Avengers, you're finished with them. You feeling hurt yet? Well it's only just starting". Then he pulled me up and slammed me against the wall. Wow, for an old dude, he sure had some strength in him. Then it got worse, and he punched me I don't know how many times, before finally letting go and kicking me mercilessly in the ribs. "You disgust me" he said, spitting on the ground next to my head before picking back up his gun and walking away, leaving me groaning on the floor, clutching my stomach.

I swore he had broken a few ribs. It hurt to breathe, and it hurt to move. So when I pulled myself up off the ground 15 minutes later, I was using all my self determination not to black out. Still clutching my stomach, I stumbled towards the kitchen, getting out an ice-pack and holding it to my swollen lip. Jeez that bald dude could hit hard. "Is it safe to come out yet?" Rogers asked, coming around the corner and stopping short when he saw me doubled over and leaning against the counter for support. "Tony?" he asked, taking a wary step forward, "son of a gun…BRUCE". I winced at the yelling. Why couldn't people be quiet anymore? "Is Nickie gone?" Clint asked coming around the corner, his smile fading when he saw me. "Jeasus…" he muttered, rushing over, "Fury did that?" I nodded, moaning in pain when a sudden dizziness rushed to my head. "Where's Bruce?" Steve asked, clearly agitated, "BRUCE?" "I'm right here, no need to shout" the doctor mumbled, coming into the room, "what's all the fuss". I raised my hand guilty and it seemed only then that Bruce noticed me. "…Fury?" he asked, walking over and I nodded. "Man Tony you seriously got to stop annoying him…come on, sit down. Steve get the med bag from my room" he said, leading me over to the kitchen island. "Hey…where's Nat and the others?" Clint asked suddenly and Banner sighed, "Natasha is currently in the library, Peppers doing paper work, and Thor is hiding in his room, scared that Fury is still here". "…..We have a library?" Clint asked and I laughed, wincing when my lip started bleeding again. Damn you Barton. "Got it" Steve said breathlessly, running back into the room, Bruce's bag in tow. "Thanks…" Bruce muttered, taking out a needle and thread, "and I'm not going to lie to you Tony, this is going to hurt…A LOT".

* * *

True to his word, it hurt like hell as Banner fixed me up. I had four stitches across my bottom lip, a swollen cheek, three cracked ribs, and a pounding head ache. But all in all, I didn't care. "Did anyone ever tell you you're great at pissing off people?" Barton asked, sitting down next to me. I grinned, wincing slightly as it pulled at the stitches, as held up a new sign. 'It was worth it'. Clint sighed before breaking out in laughter, "HIS FACE! Priceless! Man, you got to be the greatest jerk in history". I nodded thoughtfully. True. I really did have a talent of annoying people. But hey, it was fun. "Don't look now but world war 3 is about to break loose" Natasha muttered as she walked past. I looked over at Clint confused, before following his gaze over to the door as he turned to me, "you better start running".

"YOU IDIOT" Pepper yelled charging over. "See ya" Barton said quickly, jumping up and scrambling away before all hell could break loose. I glared after him but he only smirked, "good luck man". "YOU COMPLETE….IDIOT!" Pepper yelled hitting me with her briefcase. Yes, I got that. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" she shouted, "FURY?" Pushing her away, I picked back up my notebook but she grabbed in out of my hand. "THIS IS IT STARK" she yelled, "NO MORE PRANKS, NO MORE SILENCE, NO MORE IDELING". Harsh. So, so harsh. Pepper NEVER called me Stark unless she was VERY, VERY, VERY angry, or else annoyed. I think the first description fits her better in this situation. "SURE IT WAS ALL FUN AND GAMES AT THE START, BUT NOW LOOK. YOU'VE GONE AND GOTTEN YOURSELF BEATEN UP". Hey, in my defence, it wasn't that bad. Hitting me once more with the brief case, she stepped back, taking a calm breath and fixing her hair. "Look" she said calmly, "I know you're angry at Fury for kicking you off the Avengers, and I know you only want to get back at him. But you've done that now, can't you just move on? Seriously, I think everyone miss's your stupid jokes". I looked away. No, I wasn't done yet. Fury wasn't going to scare me away. "Please Tony" Pepper continued, her voice cracking at the end. And it tore open my heart. I looked back up at her slowly, shocked to see that she was crying. No Pep…don't cry… "Please" she said again, "we just want the old Tony back". I couldn't stand it, seeing her so…hurt looking, so upset. All because of me. I just couldn't take it anymore. "Why?" I asked my voice scratchy and sore from not talking for so long, "Why? The Avengers was everything I had. Now it's gone. There's nothing left for me anymore". She completely broke down, so I pulled her into a hug as she sobbed against my shoulder. No…don't cry…not over me… "You have me" she said quietly. "The others left…in time, you'll leave too" I mumbled and she pulled back, keeping her arms around my shoulder, "I promise you Tony, I won't leave". "You say that now…" I trailed off, avoiding her gaze but she lifted my head back up, "I swear on my life, I won't go. I couldn't leave even if I wanted to. This place…the business…you… It my life now, just as the Avengers was yours. We'll get through it Tony, I promise, everything will sort itself out. But you have to start talking again. Properly, not just to me or the team, but to everyone". "…Even Nickie?" I asked and she smiled, the tears gleaming in her eyes, "yes, even Nickie. Everyone". "But I…I…I don't want to… Not when I'm finished with the team. They gave me life Pepper, now that their gone I… I don't know what to do…" "Look at me" she said, lifting back up my head, "we'll get through it. The team isn't the Avengers with;'out you. Give it a couple weeks, Fury'll calm down, and soon he'll be begging you to come back. You just got to trust me". Trust… I didn't trust anyone. I couldn't. Not after everything that had happened…my father…Hammer….Obie…. "I'm not Obadiah Tony. I wouldn't betray you like he did" she said quietly as if reading my mind. "Trust…" I muttered. "I swear to you, on all the Avengers lives" she continued, "I won't leave".

* * *

**Awww, so cute :')**  
**Thank you Pepper, for helping the Idiot!**

**Well, Tony's talking again, but Fury's still annoyed so... i wonder what comes next?**

**What do ye think?**

**Any suggestions or ideas?**

**Until...in the next hour really...**

**Rachel :)**


	7. Chapter 6

**The wait is over!**

**Next chapter is here!**

**Thank you once again, for all the reviews and ideas **

**And a special shout out to my awesome, ice-cream loving best friend KATE!**

**Who encouraged me on to do this Chapter.**

**Thanks Emma **

* * *

_**-Chapter 6-**_

Things…got better…after that….

I started talking again, much to the others surprise, Pepper and I kept the whole Trust speech a secret between the two of us, and neither SHIELD, or Fury, got back in contact with me. Thankfully. And three weeks later, I was more or less back to my usual self, besides for still being thin and having a faint scar on my jaw from Fury. And I was…happy…with everything…just happy. The others noticed my unusual cheery moods, and picked up on them, often grinning when they saw me. Even Jarvis and the bots seemed happier, being cheekier than usual. And life was…good. Until today.

"Hey Starky" Clint said, sitting down next to me in the kitchen where I was savouring the last drops of my coffee. "Hey Barton" I replied and he grinned, "you know that's the single two greatest words I love to hear each day". "Would you prefer if I shut up again?" I asked and he stared at me in shock. "NO WAY! Seriously, Tony Stark not talking for 11 weeks? Fucking scary". "For fucks sake, you bastard, watch your damn language" I said smirking and he grinned again. "Good to have you back Stark".

"So how the su-" he started before an annoying beeping noise cut him off. I looked at him confused as he slowly pulled a phone out of his pocket, almost scared to touch it. Feverishly, he flipped it open, holding it up to his ear. A few seconds later, he put it back down, his face filled with worry. "Barton?" I asked but he didn't seem to hear me. "CLINT" I barked and he actually jumped before turning to me, "yea?". He voice was hoarse and anxious. "What happened?" I asked and he stared down at the phone for a few seconds before looking back up at me. "That was Fury…". Great, what does he want? "And?" I asked, "what the fuck does he want?". I still hadn't fully forgiven Nickie. I don't think I ever will. Trust was something that had to be earned, and while I had never fully trusted the director in the first place, when he attacked me, all that trust was broken down. Clint looked at me, actual terror forming in his eyes. And this was a fully trained assassin/spy who could keep on a netural mask 24/7. This was bad. "Clint come on, what did he say?". And Barton whisphered the two single words I dreaded to hear. "Avengers Assemble".

* * *

I completely froze. "Avengers Assembele". "Kicking you off the team". "Cant work without you". "Your finished". "No hope of joining the team again". All these words flashed through my head in a split second. Pepper had said it herself, the Avengers weren't the same without me, they wouldn't be able to do everything while missing an important member. Who was going to fly up above the city to count the evil robots? Who was going to rattle off sciencetific facts about the guys we were fighting? Who was going to blow stuff up? The Avengers was a team of six. Now it was a team of five. And five is an odd number. If they split up, someone's on their own against some maniac who was trying to take over the word. It just wouldn't work. "I have to go" Clint mumbled, jumping down from the bar stool. He hesitated for a second, before patting my shoulder, "I'm sorry buddy". Then he left, leaving me alone in the kitchen. Or so I would have been if a tall, slim figure hadn't emerged from the shadows, grinning at me, his green eyes sparkling, "I thought he'd never leave"

I knocked the coffee cup to the ground in my rush to get away. "Now, now, Stark. I'm not here to kill you". "L-L-LOKI?" I yelled and he smirked, "who else?" Okay, okay, calm down, just CALM DOWN. "You could have been the post man" I replied, picking up the cup from the ground. I'm surprised it hadn't smashed. "I always did enjoy your humour Stark, but not now" he replied, clicking his fingers. A second later, I was rooted to the spot, literally unable to move my legs. "There. That should hold you. At least you'll listen anyway" the God muttered, walking forward out of the shadows. He was in full battle armour, his antlers in all. "Hey reindeer games, nice of you to drop in" I said smirking and him and he glared at me. "Do. Not. Test. Me. Stark. Just because I said I wouldn't kill you, doesn't mean I wouldn't hurt you Just. Like. This" he said, snapping his fingers and the invisible ropes around my legs tightened. "What do you want Rudolf?" I asked and he grinned again. I'm surprised his teeth weren't green like the rest of his outfit. Instead, they were a dazzling white. Hey, you learn something new every day. "Well, why my little minions are running around New York keeping the Avengers busy, I thought we might have a little chat" he replied, sitting down in front of me. It seemed so…calm…relaxed…like he thought nothing could possibly go wrong. Well, he could think again. "J?" I asked. "All ready on their way sir" Jarvis replied, wiping the smirk off Loki's face. "The Avengers are on their way? Well…we'll have to make this short and sweet then. But before we get to that" he said, before hitting me across the face. Now, I don't know if you've ever been punched in the jaw by a God before, but it FUCKING HURTS.

"HEY, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" I asked and he punched me again, "that was for calling the others. The first one was for not dieing when I threw you out through the Avengers Tower top floor window. And this"- he said, hitting me once more- "is because I felt like it". "Jeez you got issues" I muttered, spitting the blood from my mouth. "Indeed. But from what iv heard, so do you" Loki replied and I looked up at him surprised, "what?". "I know you Tony Stark, and you've got serious promblems". "Says the guy wearing antlers". "I pretend I didn't hear that. You've got issues Stark, trust issues, anger issues, PSD, fear of lots of water…and the list goes on and on". "Your point?" I growled, glaring at him. He WAS telling the truth, but just because he was right, didn't mean I had to like it. "My point is, is that your recent little 'Im-dieing-and-I'm-not-telling-anyone' stunt, cost you your team. You were kicked off the Avengers". How does he know these things? "And you want to get back in" he finished. "Okay Rock of Ages, what do you REALLY want?" I asked and he sighed, "I'm about to heat things up Stark, and the way the way the current Avengers are fighting, their going to need all the help they can get". "Your planning world domination, JUST to get me back into the team?" I asked unbelievingly and he nodded thoughtfully, "No…well, yes…in a way. The whole 'I'll-have-control-of-the-world' part comes in there somewhere. Your just an addition". "Honoured, I'm sure". "And I said id warn the Avengers, just to see their pathetic excuse of 'Protecting the World'" he said, ignoring me, before suddenly perking up, "oh, and by the way, your friends are here". He ducked a split second as an arrow went over his head. Hawkeye's arrow. How he had sensed it, was beyond me. "How bad?" I asked as shouts from the team charging in became more audible. "REALLY bad" the God of Mischief replied, jumping off the chair as bullets slammed into it. "When?" I asked, almost shouting over the teams calls. "One week" he replied, making his way to the window, throwing it open and jumping up on the ledge in one, swift movement. "WAIT" I shouted after him, and he turned to me one last time, his startling green eyes dangerous-looking. "W-WHY ME?" I yelled and he smirked, the wind blowing back his pure black hair, "because you're the only one I knew who would listen".

* * *

The others burst into the room just as Loki jumped, vanishing into thin air. The second he disappeared, so did the bonds on my legs and I collapsed to the ground. "Stark? ... STARK" someone yelled coming over next to me. "Hey Rogers" I mumbled, sitting up and he breathed a sigh of relief, "Jeez, don't do that ok? For a moment there i thought you were...well...dead". "Can't get rid of me that easily Cap" I said smirking as he pulled me up. "That...Loki was here?" Natasha asked and i stared out the window, "yep". "And he didn't kill you?" she asked again, almost sounding surprised. "Apparently not" I muttered and she lowered her gun, muttering something softly to herself. "Rudolf did that?" Clint asked, pointing to my jaw. My jaw... I had forgotten that the God had punched me, but now that Barton had brought it up, I felt a dull numbing sensation. Damn you Legolas. "Yea. He was pissed I didn't die last time" I explained smirking but Clint didn't find it funny, "I should have stayed" he grumbled, "then none of this would have happened...". "Shut it Barton" I said firmly, "it's not your fault.'I didn't even know Reindeer games was here until he had these invisible cords wrapped around my legs". "...Did I ever tell you how much I hate magic?" Clint asked and I grinned, "Only about a million times". "Well... Make this a million and one" he replied sighing. "Hey...um...guys...where's the mean, green, fighting machine?" I asked looking around. "You mean Banner?" Nat asked, "He hulked out when we got to New York. He'll be around here somewhere". As if on cue, the Hulk appeared around the corner, grumbling angrily to himself. "Puny God". I laughed at that. Same old Hulk. "Fury says New Yorks clear" Rogers said, putting down a phone. Clear... But only until next week. Then, if the God Of Lies was telling the truth, World domination was a out to start... Again.

* * *

"Nat get in here" I yelled from the lab the next day. "Why?" She shouted back. "...it involves Loki". Five seconds later she was walking through the door, a huge smirk on her face. "I was right wasn't I?" She asked, "he did tell you something didn't he". "Shut up and get over here" I said, as she shot me a glare but did as told. "You can tell if someones lying right?" I asked and she looked at me insulted, "of course I ca-". "But can you tell by someones voice only?" I asked again, cutting her off. She shrugged, "Most of the time yea, but what has this got to do with Loki?". "Jarvis hit play" I ordered and a few seconds later, Loki's voice sounded over the speakers. "I wanted to see the Avengers stupid ect.". "Is he lying?" I asked. "World domination" she said quietly. "Is he LYING?" I asked again. "I...I...No" she finally said, "what else did he say?". "J get the Avengers down here" I said, rubbing my eyes tiredly. I had spent the whole night trying to figure out any lies or tricks behind the Gods words, but to no avail. "Stark what did he SAY?" Natasha said, gripping my shoulders. "NOW Jarvis" I said firmly. "Their on there way sir" he replied and I sighed, putting my head in my hands when Nat let go. Loki hadn't been lying. The God of Lies was telling the truth. We are so screwed. "What's all the commotion about?" Rogers asked, entering the lab with Barton and Thor following. "Where's Banner?" I asked and Clint pointed up, "Sleeping. The other guy wore him out yesterday". "Well he'll probably hulk out again when he hears this" Natasha muttered and the others looked between us confused. "What seems to be the problem Man of Iron?" Thor asked and Nat glared at me, "Yes Stark, please, do tell more". I sighed and looked down at my hands, "it involves your brother Thor". "Loki? What the hell has he done now?" Clint asked. "It's not what he did, it's what he said" Natasha said, hitting me over the back of the head, "The Moran here didn't tell us everything yesterday".

"Stark?" Rogers asked and I sighed, "I wanted to tell ye guys, seriously I did. I just didn't know how, or when, to do so. I knew he'd pull something like this on us but I wasn't sure if he was lying or not and then-". "STARK" Nat yelled, cutting me off. "Rambling right, sorry, anyways" I said before rushing out the next sentence, "Lokiwilltrytotakeoverthworldagainnextweekandhesst artinginNewYorklike beforeandhejustwantedmetowarnyesopleasedontbemadat me". "What?" Rogers asked confused and Nat sighed as I shrank away. "He said he doesn't want he you to be angry with him but Loki is attacking New York again next week". "WHAT?" Steve yelled and I flinched. "Told you they'd be mad" I muttered and Nat sighed again, "guys, cool it. We fought him before, we can do it again". "But we weren't missing a member then" Clint shouted and I flinched again, slowly inching back from his furious gaze. "We'll maybe now Fury will reconsider" Nat said but I shook my head, "he's already made his point on that. Me and the Avengers are done, for good. It's over guys, I'm sorry". "But...but we can't do this without you" Clint mumbled. "Well, your gonna have to try because as of next week, you've gonna have a crazed God trying to take over the world. And this time, he's not going to hold back".

* * *

The next week passed agonizingly slow, the seconds feeling like hours, and the days feeling like years. We all knew what was coming, and that, in its own way, was worse than a surprise attack. It was the feeling of dred. Of utter and completely hopelessness. And it was slowly eating away at us. We couldn't do a thing, well, no, that's not exactly accurate. There were PLEANTY of things we could be doing…what the Avengers could be doing… but thanks to SHIELD, those things were minimized. They didn't want to worry the public, they said, they wanted to keep total control of the situation. And we protested against them…the team protested against them. I'm barely used to saying me instead of us. But I had to get used to it. That was it. I was done. Ole' Nickie made sure of that. So while the Avengers rushed around, I reduced to my usual way of dealing with things I didn't like. Saying 'Fuck it' and getting drunk. You didn't think id honestly keep away the alcohol bottles for that long did you? Once I started talking again, I went back to my usual old habits, drinking, swearing, staying in the lab until 3am, and generally pissing the hell out of people. So I locked myself in the lab, drowning my sorrows in Whiskey. Beautiful drink whiskey was. Just beautiful. And before I knew it, I was completely wasted, with two empty bottles next to me, both scotch, and a whiskey in my hand. "Stupid F-Fury" I mumbled, taking another swig from the bottle, "him and-d his s-s-stupid plans". A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts and I glanced over to find Natasha staring back at me. "G-Go away" I slurred, taking another swig. I didn't need any self pitying right now. "I brought a truce" she said and I looked over to see her holding up two bottles. "Let-t her in J" I grumbled and a second later she was sitting on the desk in front of me. "Vodka" she said, handing me a bottle as I drained my own. "Typical Russian" I muttered and she laughed, "says the Brit with his Scotch". I grinned too, she had a point. "So, come on-n, what you d-doing here?" I asked and she sighed, "its depressing up there. Everyone's slowly walking around the place, sulking and dragging their feet. Even Bruce. Its…sad. They've hit an all-time low". I smirked, holding up my bottle, "so you th-thought you'd waste aw-away time d-down here". "You're the only one who can match my alcohol record. The others give up after the first bottle". "Wimps". "Exactly, so, id said I come down here, saving us both from misery". Taking another drink of Vodka, I held the bottle back up, "Take what you can". She clinked out bottles together, smirking at me, "Give nothing back". To our severely messed up lives…

The first attack came quickly and visicously. One second, everything was fine, and we were all sitting down in the sitting room, the next second…they were gone. Just like that. The Avengers went off to battle. Natasha had been the first to get the call from SHIELD. A major attack on Manhattan, aliens AND robots attacking the city. Then Clint got the call, then Rogers and so on and so on. They had all jumped up, rushing around the Malibui house, gathering armour, double checking all weapons, and suiting up. All but me…all but me… Then they were gone. Off to fight Loki, without Iron Man. They didn't come back for…hours. Hours upon hours, I watched the news, the same story repeating over and over again. "Attack on Manhattan?". "Loki up to his tricks?". "Where is Tony Stark?". The same headlines going over and over and over and over AGAIN and AGAIN on the T.V in front of me. Over and over I watched as the city got destroyed, buildings collapsing, roads blown up, people getting injured…over and over…and there was nothing I could do.

After…how long had it been? Hours? Days? I didn't know… I turned off the 24/7 news channel, finally sick of all the commotion the God of Mischief was causing. But even then, when I completely blanked myself from the attack, I just sat there, the remote still in my hand, staring at a blank T.V screen in front of me. And there was nothing I could do.

The same headlines ran through my head every few seconds. "Iron Man bails?". "Manhattan broken?". And then the worst one of all. "Tony Stark doesnt care?". How could they think that? That I didn't CARE about people DIEING. That I didn't CARE about not being able to HELP them. That I DIDN'T EVEN FUCKING CARE TO SHOW UP. I DID care. I DID want to help. And most importantly, I DID want to save Manhattan. But I couldn't. It was out of my hands. Out of my duristriction. And as much as I love to break the rules, if I took to the skies without Fury's permission, he wouldn't think twice about blasting me off the face of the Earth. I couldn't bend the rules on this one. Not if I still wanted to be able to breath tomorrow. Not this time.

* * *

They didn't return that day…Or the next…Or even the day after that. And by the fourth day, I was getting worried. Sure I knew they were being kept busy, fighting aliens and robots and all that, trying to prevent the take over of the world, but I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something was wrong. I just knew it. The news didn't offer any help. They were more interested in finding out where Tony Stark was. Idiots didn't even think of checking my house. The feeling of dred was all I could think of. I was wishing, hoping, swearing to myself that they were fine. Just praying to a God that I don't believe in. I had trouble sleeping. I was gone off food. I was falling to pieces.

Then I got the call from Fury. "STARK" he barked once id answered the phone. "What do you want bastard" I grumbled, rubbing my eyes from tiredness. "I don't think your in any position to speak to me like that Stark" he warned and I rolled my eyes, "Well Nickie you thought wrong. Because, honestly, I don't even fucking care anymore". It was silent for a few seconds after that. "Look Stark, we need…I need…your help" he finally said. "Well that's a bit much coming from the guy who beat me up" I shot back and he sighed, "And I'm not sorry for it. You deserved it. But now, this help involved the Avengers". I immediately snapped to attention at that. The Avengers. "What happened?" I asked. "…How did you know it was going to be bad news?" he asked back. "Because you simply never have good news. What the hell has happened?" I asked again. "Its Loki". "Obiviously". "He's kidnapped them".

"WHAT?" I yelled. "Loki's trapped them. There gone. Disappeared. But the attacks on Manhattan has stopped" he replied. "Oh, well, that's a relief" I muttered but he ignored me. "We need your help". "Why? What can I possibly do?" I asked. "You can help us find them". "And what makes you think I want to help YOU. You ruined my life Fury. No Avengers. No freedom. Not even SHIELD's off my back. I got nothing". "Pull yourself together Stark. You WILL help us find them" he growled. "No. I wont. This is it Fury. For the first time in my miserable life, I'm standing up against you. I quit. I quit you. I quit SHIELD. I quit this fucking operation". By now I was shouting but I didn't care. I was finished yet, "I'm biting back. And I'm not standing down this time. I'm holding my ground. Sometimes we don't learn from our mistakes. Sometimes we have no choice but to walk away. Well THIS time, I'm not walking away. So you can go FUCK YOURSELF IF YOU THINK I'M HELPING YOU. This is ME standing up. This is ME holding my ground. This is ME telling you to FUCK OFF". Then I hung up.

* * *

**Wow, Number 6 now complete!**

**Sorry for the delay, real life can be a pain sometimes,**

**But now I'm back on track :) What do you think of this Chapter? Better or Worse?**

**Personally, I think I'm slipping a little bit, but hey, everyone to their own, right?**

**Until CHAPTER 7!**

**Rachel :) **


	8. Chapter 7

**Now introducing...Anotherr Chapter**

**Last chapter pretty heated eh?**

**Well, its about to get better.**

**Rachel :)**

* * *

_**-Chapter 7-**_

They say bad things happen for a reason…

Maybe there was a reason…

What am I gonna do?

What do I say?

All that's left…

Is nothing

* * *

It took me a few seconds after I slammed down the phone that I realised what I had done. I had just beaten Fury at his own game. I had won. I had yelled, shouted at him. I had quit SHIELD. I was so dead.

When I finally got my bearings together, I rushed about the house, yelling random orders to Jarvis and the Bots. I had to find the AVENGERS. "J get the cameras from the time they were taken, SHIELD's database will have it" I shouted, rushing down to my lab. A few seconds later, Jarvis had them up on screen. "Play" I said and the pictures came to life. The whole team was there, Nat, Clint, Hulk, Cap, and Thor. And then Loki appeared. Then they were fighting him. Then the God snapped his fingers and they were…gone. Simply gone. What the fuck?

"Pull up anything and everything on their possible locations" I said. "There's…there's nothing sir" the AI replied and I cursed. "For fucks sake J, there has to be something". "Nothing, sir. There's not even the slightest clue of where they could be". "…Shall I run the satalites sir? The GPS system might-" he started but I cut him off, "GPS! Of course. Jarvis, your are a GENIUS. Clints got a tracker system on his arrows. If he still has them…". "Connecting now sir" Jarvis said and then, there it was. A small red dot up on screen, appearing in an abandoned warehouse. Cliché much? "J, get me the exact location of that building" I ordered, suddenly knowing what I had to do. "As you wish sir". Running back upstairs, taking two steps at a time, I shut down the house. Cutting off the power, putting everything on shut down, except Jarvis. "J where's Happy?" I asked. "Outside sir, I told him you needed a ride" he replied and I grinned. "Thanks J". Before rushing outside. As pretold, Happy was standing outside an awaiting car. "Good to see you " he said cheerily and I smirked, "you too Happy". "Any specific location?" he asked and I nodded as we got in, "Yea. Avengers Tower. Manhattan. I'm going to get the suit".

* * *

"Wake up J, we got work to do" I ordered, stepping inside the deserted tower. "Sir I should warn you, he-" Jarvis started but was cut off by the door slamming shut behind me. Spinning around, I got into a fighting stance. Fury.

"I thought id see you here" Nickie said, smirking. "Well, with one eye it should be rather difficult" I shot back and he glared at me. "Ok Stark, you've had your fun. Now tell us where the Avengers are, and I might be a little less harsh on you". I smirked, "yea right. I don't take orders from you anymore, remember? I quit". "You cant simply quit Stark" he growled. "Why not? Is it, maybe, just slightly possible, that you actually NEED me?" I asked, walking down the familer hall. "We need a weapons manifactuer" he said following me. "I don't make weapons Nickie, you should know that by now" I muttered and he chuckled, "of course, I forgot, you don't kill people anymore". Oh, so he was going down THAT path was he? "It won't work Fury" I said, "now back off before I get J to kick you out". "You wouldn't do that" he said, narrowing his eyes as I reached my lab. "Oh I would. J? Would you care to do the honours?" I asked. "Certaintly sir" he replied, and the elevator doors opened, "Nickie, would you care to get the fuck out". "Oooh, Jarvis swearing and with an attitude. Nice" I commented, entering the lab, locking the door behind me. "You cant get away that easily Stark" Fury yelled, pounding on the glass. I completely ignored him until I heard three or four shots. Turning the him, I sighed. "Bullet proof, missile proof, even HULK proof glass Nickie, wont work". He glared at me, putting away the gun. Walking over to the suit, I clapped my hands, and the room came back to life. Computers turned on, the lights flickered to life, and the suit came back to action. "Jarvis, get everything up and ready to go" I ordered, getting into the Iron Man suit. The machines came to life around me, putting the suit back together until it was perfect again. It was good to be home.

"STARK YOU WONT GET AWAY WITH THIS" Fury yelled after me, as I took off. Yea right. I already had. "J?" I asked. "Systems fully responding sir. The suit is in top condition" he said as Iron Man took to the skies. It was good to be wearing it again. I was safe in it. Protected. I was Iron Man.

* * *

"Your coming up to the warehouse now. First on your right sir". "Thanks Jarv" I said, landing back on the ground. Time to do this. The old warehouse was huge. And I had no idea where to start. "J, bring up heat sensors" I said quietly, slowly entering the building. Immediately, my view became clouded with smoke. "J…what's happening?" I choked out, coughing. "Smoke bomb sir, when you entered it triggered" he replied calmly, "Heat sensors on". My vision still slightly clouded, I silently made my way towards the nearest humane heat sorce. "Who's…t-there" the man studdered, pointing a gun at me. "Your worst nightmare" I replied, raising my hand and blasted him against the wall. I really hate terriosts. One down…about twenty to go I realised, as more men started running towards me. Bullets bounced harmlessly of the suit until they were all out. "My turn" I said, shooting the repulsers at them. Some died, some got injured, others escaped. That didn't matter, all that mattered now was finding the others…alive.

* * *

Another exploded blast slammed me into the wall. It was the fourth one so far and it was killing me. They were bombs…everywhere. And all though Jarvis could pick up most of them, some remained hidden. Until they blasted me a few feet in the air. Groaning, I pulled myself back to my feet. "Power at 58% sir". "Thanks J" I muttered, trudging towards the next room. I had so far blasted about… I don't know how many…50? 70? 90? Men who attacked me… and I was recked. Completely recked. And I swore iv broken a few ribs from the force of the bombs. I was just tired. And I wanted it all to end. Kicking down the door, I looked around the room. Empty again. This was torture. Every room that was empty, I wasted a few precious seconds of time when I could be finding the Avengers. Turning back around, I started towards the next room, only to have bullets sprayed into the wall next to me. "Honestly" I said sighing, as I blasted the men, "don't ye guys EVER give up?". But no, they didn't. It seemed for every man I killed, two more took his place. Seriously, where did Loki find these guys?

The next lot of rooms were empty as well, much to my disappointment, until I reached the top floor. I heard…shuffling? ... No, whisphering. There was whisphering coming from one of the rooms. Slowly, I walked towards it, when another blast send me flying into the wall. Again. Coughing and cursing, I pulled myself up, choking with all the dust around me. "For fuck sake, AGAIN?" I grumbled, "don't Gods know when to quit?". The whisphering had stopped. Great. Now I had to check every room a lot this god damn hall. "Hello?" someone asked quietly. Hey, that was…that was Barton. Clint was alive then…hopefully. Raising my hand, I blasted down the nearest door. Nothing. Then the next and the next. Still nothing. It wasn't until I had knocked down the fourth door that I found him. And the rest of the Avengers. They were tied up, hands and feet, separately to each other on either side of the room. They were all dis-armed and besides for the few odd scrapes here and there, they were all in good enough condition. "S-Stark?" Nat asked and I grinned, "wonder when id find ye".

* * *

"How…what…how…" Clint mumbled but Banner filled in for him, "how'd you find us?". "Legolas over here has GPS in him arrows" I replied, sliding up the mask on my suit as I cut through Clints ropes, "where are your weapons anyway?". "Loki". "Ah, got ya. Well, good news. He's not here" I said standing back and handing Barton a knife so he could help untie the others. "What…" Natasha trailed off. "Nickie?" I asked and she nodded. "We had…a political disagreement" I replied, choosing my words carefully. "What?" Rogers asked and Natasha, "he means he completely went against orders, kicked Fury out of his house, and told SHIELD to fuck off". "The tower actually, I kicked him out of the tower. But yea, that basically sums it up" I said grinning as I untied Thor. "Hey Point Break, hows it going?" I asked but he didn't reply. "He's upset Loki attacked him" explained Rogers, standing up. "Right. But hey, if it helps, the Manhattan attacks have stopped" I said and the God perked up at that. Poor guy. "So what now?" Bruce asked, before ducking as a bullet slammed into the wall above his head. Guess the terriosts weren't done yet. "Now, Banner" I said, blasting a bad guy into another, "would be a very good time to hulk out".

They just kept on coming and coming. We'd already been battling them for about half an hour, but they wouldn't give up. It was the six of us against…what, 100 of them? They seemed to just be multiplying and multiplying. These guys were seriously Loki's own creation. Who else could fit so many men into a tiny room? "STARK DUCK" Steve yelled and I quickly obeyed as a bullet went over my head, before spinning around and killing its owner. "Thanks Capcicle". Rogers just nodded in response and the battle continued. Clint was shooting arrows at such speed I could barely see his hands moving, Natasha was sticking to her own style, hit, punch, kick, and die, Steve was working away with his shield, Banner was…well…hulked out, and the angry green monster was charging around the place, taking down five men at a time, and Thor had his hammer. It was also his hammer that had summond everyone's weapons in the first place. They were all being kept in the warehouses basement as stupid as it was. And then I was being…basically Iron Man, blasting the bad guys, all repulsers on full power. "Power at 29% sir" Jarvis said and I gritted my teeth. Guess its not full power then. "Don't tell me, just keep it on screen" I ordered and a second later, 26% flashed up on screen. I was losing too much power too quickly. Give it another while and the suit would be completely drained, just a lump of metal, the backup's gone in all.

"Hey guys, how long do you think you'll last?" I asked. "Depends" Nat said, kicking a guy in the stomach, "how long can you?". "About an hour at most" I replied, "hey Barton, how many arrows you got left?". "11…no, wait, 9" he replied, shooting too guys in the head. "What about the rest of ye?" Nat asked. "Id say and hour" Steve replied and Thor nodded, "I believe I am with Captain of America". "And the big guy?" I asked, "hey, Hulky, you ok?". "Hulk…ANGREY" he yelled, throwing a man against the wall. "…..I take it he has the best chance here?" I asked and the others nodded. We were fucked.

* * *

"Anyone got something that can end this?" Cap asked and we all shook our heads…wait… "I…I might" I said and he turned to me surprised. "It might or might not work" I continued, "honestly the chances are about 40:60 and not in our favour. It could end up killing everyone in this room, ye included. Well then again, Hulkey over here would survive. He could survive a nucleur bomb. But yea, not a very good option". The part that I left out, was that it could very easily kill me as well. Rogers looked around at the others werily before turning back to me, "its worth a try isn't it?". "Right. Well, unless ye want to go permantly blind, I suggest blocking your eyes and standing behind me". "If we cover our eyes Stark, and if this doesn't work, we're sitting ducks" Natasha said. "Look, either was you want to keep fighting till kingdom come or not, now close your eyes" Clint argued and they all did so reluctantly, standing back behind me, except for Hulk. He continued smashing the men. "J, full power to the repulsers" I ordered. "Sir, the effect would drian all power out of the suit. It would be fatel to yo-". "Just do it J" I said firmly. "Yes sir" he replied, and I swore I heard sorrow in his voice. "Hope this works guys" I said quietly, raising both hands to the men infront of us. "3…2…1…GO".

The after shock was, to say the least, not what id been expecting. The minute the repulsers fried the men in front of us, the suit shut down. Everything inside went black, the screen going blank, and I fell onto my knee's before hitting the floor. "0.3% power sir" Jarvis said quietly. Point three percent. So it didn't drain the full suit then. Interesting. "Stark?" someone asked. Natasha I guessed judging by the voice. "STARK" someone shouted rolling me onto my back. Wow I was dizzy. "Get off his helmet" someone said urgently and a second later, I was faced with five worried faces, one god, one super solider, two assassins, and an angry green one. Blinking against the bright light, I looked up at them. "They dead?" I asked. "Their dead. ALL of them" Rogers replied and I grinned, "that was bloody awesome".

"Come on moran" Natasha said, helping me up. I swayed slightly but then I was ok again. "Seriously guys" I said, still grinning, "ye got to try that sometime". "You almost died idiot" Barton said, lightly punching me in the shoulder. "Eh" I replied shrugging, "still fun". Clint smirked, handing me my helmet before looking around. Dead men lay at out feet, each body splattered in blood. "Well…that was interesting" I finally said and they turned to me, glaring. I held my hands up in self-defence, grinning at them, "hey I'm just saying, ye guys should get kidnapped more often".

* * *

15 minutes later, we were outside the warehouse, slowly walking along the driveway. We were all more or less in one piece, just the odd scratch or scrape that could easily be stitched up. And besides for Bruce, who had de-hulked himself, we were all still full of energy some how. "So…I was thinking" Clint said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Yes?" Thor asked and Clint looked over at me. "Your not meant to be here" he said. "Correct" I replied. "And you went against SHIELD's AND Fury's orders" he continued. "Correct" I said again. "So…wont you kind of be arrested when we get back?". "Unforcently, you are yet again, correct" I said, "but don't worry about it. I'll weasel my way around it. I always do". "That, you do" someone said from behind us and we all spun around surprised. "For fucks sake, not you again" Clint grumbled, notching an arrow on his bow, but I put my arm across, stopping him. "Thank you Stark" Loki said. He was standing about three meters away, in all his glory, with full armour on again. Even the helmet. "You know I'm seriously thinking you want to be a reindeer" I mused, nodding towards the antlers. He glared at me, "Of course, I couldn't expect a kind word from you could I? Your all about the jokes". "I think he's finally catching on" Nat grumbled and Loki turned to her, "Ah yes. Natasha Romanoff. Looking as lovely as ever". She glanced him up and down, "sorry if I don't say the same about you". The god smirked before turning back to me. "We made a deal Stark". "Did we? I cant remember that ever happening" I replied and his smirk grew wider, "I believe it was along the lines of you becoming an Avenger again". "Was it? You've seriously lost me on this Rudolf". "Oh yes, of course, I forgot. I didn't actually tell you the full story did I?" he asked. "Wouldn't be a first" I remarked and his smirk fell. "You wanted to be part of the team again. Here you are". "I wouldn't call this as part of the team" I replied, "this is just a one-day thing". "Even if that is so, your still an Avenger today. That's my part of the bargain completed". "You know, two words come to mind when I see you. Delusional and Weirdo" I told him, "and if I had to pick a third… goofy… Just plain goofy". Clint stifled a laugh next to me and I grinned. He was right about the jokes part. "Well . As I said, my side is done" Loki continued, completely ignoring me. "Oh, and let me guess. You want me to keep my side?" I asked, "well sorry to disappoint you, but I don't deal with physco's… or bastards". "Your side of the bargain Stark" Loki snarled. "I'm sorry but your going to have to enlighten me on that". He grinned, his green eyes flashing dangerously, as he raised he hand. A split second later, he was holding his spector, "your side of the bargain Stark, was to die".

He raised the spector and a green flash hit me, knocking me to the ground. Then he disappeared. The others ran over to me frightened. "Stark…Stark? …TONY" Rogers yelled and I looked up at him, "what's happening?". "What?" he asked, looking confused as I pulled myself up. "Somethings wrong" I muttered, "something should be happening. Why don't I feel any different?". "You don't feel any different? Arent you like…meant to be dead?" Clint asked and I looked down at my chest. "Lights still on" I commented, tapping the reactor through the suit. "So…your okay then?" Steve asked. "I…I think so" I mumbled, walking a few feet forward. I was walking fine…I was talking fine… I wasn't feeling any pain… something wasn't right. "This is… something's going to happen" I said, looking up at the others. "What do you mean?" Clint asked, taking a fearfull step forward. "Loki doesn't just… do something. He always has a reason behind it. And if he wanted me dead, id be dead. So why aren't I dead?" I asked, looking around. Something was going to happen. "Maybe…maybe he just wanted to scare us?" Clint suggested but Thor should his head, "Man of Iron is right. My brother has a purpose to everything he does. If he wanted someone dead, that person would die". "Well that's reassuring" I muttered, looking myself up and down. The suit was fine, everyone else was fine, I was fi-. I was not fine.

* * *

A sudden burning pain exploded from my chest and I yelped, jumping a step back. "Stark?" Banner asked. Oh hey, Bruce was awake, that was ok then, he w-. Another blast a pain shook through my body, and I collapsed onto my knee's. "Seriously Stark, this is NOT a time to be playing around" Clint said, walking over and crouching down in front of me me. "I'm…not…messing" I gasped out, clutching my chest. The Arc Reactor. Loki had done something to it. Looking down at my Reactor, I put my hand on it. It was burning hot. Quickly dropping my hand I looked up at Clint fearfully. "Jeasus Christ" he muttered, "Guys…he's not playing". "Wait your…he's serious?" Natasha asked, slowly walking over to us. I barely heard her. I was too busy staring at my Reactor. The light was flickering… why was it flickering? … The two assassins noticed too and started shouting, rushing about. I barely noticed. The Reactor was breaking. On…off…on…off. The light continued its system, as if put on replay. On…off…on…off…on…off…off…off.

* * *

A single, angonizing scream echoed through the tree's.

* * *

**Chapter 7 completed already!**

**I love cliff hangers…**

**I say I'll only make one more chapter for this story,**

**Sad I know :( but iv got no other ideas**

**But I got a new Avenger story idea thanks to a certain person named Ashleykhl :)**

**Its based around Tony Stark again, so I'll be starting that soon hopefully.**

**Well, until the next post, I bid ye goodbye**

**Rachel :)**


	9. Chapter 8 (Final)

**FINALL CHAPTER!**

**Soooooooo sad :'(**

**But I'm just out of ideas on how to continue it**

**And I only started it last week….**

**Anyone got any ideas, even if there completely stupid and really bad ones, please tell me!**

**I'm sure they wont be that bad or stupid :)**

**Rachel**

* * *

**-Chapter 8-**

"Beep…Beep…Beep". That was the first thing I heard. The first thing I felt, however, was a piercing pain covering my whole body. Gasping, I shot upright, only to have firm hands push me back down. "Relax Tony, you have to stay calm" someone told me…Who was that? … "Tony, its Bruce. Bruce Banner, your in hospital. You just got to calm down" the voice continued. Bruce… I know Bruce. Bruce is nice… he's my friend. So I stopped thrashing about. Bruce would protect me. "Good, now, how many fingers am I holding up?" he asked, holding up his hand. "Two…" I mumbled and he nodded, sitting back down, "Correct….. You ok?". "It… hurts" I mumbled and he sighed, "I know it does and I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do. What do you remember?". I thought hard for a minute. "Loki" I said, "Loki was there…and…you…you and the others…ye were taken…". I know it makes no sense, but what else can I do?

He nodded again, "yes. Your were…hit with magic…collapsed and have been unconscience for just over 4 weeks". "Four weeks" I mumbled, looking around, "…I hate hospitals". He chuckled and I turned to him, "where's…where's the o-others?". "Last time I checked, Fury's outside with Barton, Natasha's been helping out with Pepper, and Thor's back at the tower with Rogers" he replied. "Fury's…here?" I asked. It hurt to talk… It hurt all over… What the hell had happened to me?"Yea, outside the door. He's angry, as usual, and he's been waiting out there for two days now". "Two days? H-he…really must hate me". Bruce laughed again, "you can say that again. He's been ranting to everyone who'll listen, cursing your name in every way possible". "Its just… his way to show… he care's" I said, smirking slightly."You want to talk to him?" Bruce asked, and I shook my head, wincing when it caused a massive head ache. "No w-way". "Thought not… what bout Clint? You want to see him?". "S-sure…I'm sure he'll…kill me if I d-don't". "True" Bruce replied smiling, "you stay put and I'll get him". "I don't think I could…move even if I wanted…to" I muttered as he left, returning a few seconds later with Legolas. "Tony?" Barton asked quietly, his eyes wide as if he couldn't believe it was me. "In the flesh and…blood" I replied, "well, w-what's left of…me anyway".

* * *

Within the hour, everyone was piled into my hospital room, Steve, Bruce, Clint, Natasha, Thor, and a very tearful Pepper. "So, come on, any…news?" I asked and Thor looked away. That could only mean one thing. "Rudolfs…been c-caught?" I asked and Rogers nodded, "yep. The week you…uh…were knocked out. Currently in an Asgardian cell". "That's good I…guess" I muttered and he sighed, "We're still cleaning up Manhattan. Two major attacks within half a year of each other completely destroyed it". "Well you know id…help but I'm a…little tied up h-here" I replied smirking and he smiled, "Yea, I know you would. Cause your all about helping aren't you?". "Hey I… I saved y-your ass didn't I?" I asked playfully and his smile fell, "and look where its gotten you". "Cap I... I didn't mean it l-like…that" I replied and Natasha stood up, clapping her hands. "Right" she said, "no arguing, no sob sorrows, and NOBODY is allowed to go all cheesy on us. That means you Ms. Potts". Pepper laughed, wiping the tears from her eyes, "sorry. I just get carried away". "Very…carried a-away" I muttered and she smiled at me, "I'm surprised you haven't blubbed up yet". "ME? CRYING? No…way" I shot back and this time Clint laughed, "oh come on, your telling me your not holding back the tears of joy in seeing me again?". "Get over… yourself Barton… your n-not that important" I teased and Bruce grinned, "what about me? Do I get to be important?". "…You're the only… other science freak in…in this room…so your more I'm-important than Feathers over th-there…but not th-that Important". He pretended to pout and I laughed quietly. It was good to be back.

* * *

"Not to rush… ye guys or a-anything… but I b-believe there's… an angry one-eyed… man outside" I said after another hour or so chatting with everyone. "Nickie?" Natasha asked, "you actually want to talk to him?". "No, but in… this state… he c-cant do anything… to me" I replied smirking and Nat narrowed her eyes, "you sneaky bastard". "Hey, I just… do what I… can" I replied and she sighed, "yea. Come on guys. Scatter. Starks got a bald dude to deal with". The others gave cries of protest but NO ONE argued with Natasha and after a few minutes, the room was deserted again. Until said bald dude walked in. "Your awake?" he asked. "And… alive" I shot back and he sighed, rubbing his eyes. "What you did back there Stark, you really screwed up" he said, "you went against orders. You quit an organisation that no one can actually quit, you told me to fuck off, you got suited up with no permission to, and you completely fucked up rescuing the Avengers. All in all… good work". I stared at him confused. Good work? Did he just say GOOD WORK? Fury simply doesn't do complements… AT ALL. And he was telling me Good Work?

"We kind of got off on the wrong foot-" he started but I cut him off, "you hired an… assassin to be my s-sectritary… you completely runined…my life… then you… beat the hell out of m-me… now your… saying sorry?". "Okay. So we completely fucked up out first time meeting. But what you did… rescuing the Avengers single handedly with no backup against all odds… that took courage" he said, his single eye boring into mine. "And we need someone with guts like that". "Your…your telling me you… want me back… on t-the team?" I asked and he nodded, "yea I guess". "Well you… can fuck off" I said and his expression hardend, "what?". "You heard… me, fuck off. I'll come back… when I w-want to… not when you… s-say to". "You are in no conditition to argue with me Stark" he shouted. "No…I'm not, but you s-said yourself… iv got courage… and iv g-got the guts to fight a-against you… so, no, I'll come b-back when I want to". "Your hardly breathing by yourself, your completely beaten up and battered. You can barely speak for christs sake. And your fighting against me?". "Yea". "…I'm impressed Stark. Even your normally not up to this stunt". "Well, iv had… time to t-think…. Honestly, coming within… an inch of… death three times… within half a year, r-really changes your… perpective on things". "I should try it sometime" he mused and I smirked, "Don't. Seriously… it's a fucking pain… trying to get b-back to normal… again".

* * *

"Sure you wont reconsider? The Avengers need you Stark. As much as I hate to admit it. Your there jerk in a suit. And every team needs someone like that, to keep their spirits up and all that shit" he said, heading for the door again. "Don't worry…I'll come b-back… just not under your… orders… Only when I want t-to" I said and he stopped at the doorway, turning to me one last time, a smirk playing on his lips. "You know Stark" he said, "You are one fucking crazy bastard".

* * *

The was The End Where I Begin

* * *

**That's it!**

**I'm officially FINISHED!**

**The End Where I Begin, is now over!**

**So sad… but so HAPPY!**

**I COMPLETED IT!**

**I guess I cant say, 'Until next time' now, cause there's no more chapters.**

**So, until my next story (((which I'm currently typing :P )))**

**Rachel _:)_**

**_PS._I don't know if anyone noticed this, but on my profile page, it says I'm a total Taylor Swift and The Script loving addict. Which I am. I adore both singers/band. But what you might not realise, is in every chapter of this story, there was lines from some of The Scripts songs :D , **

**For Examble, **

**Chapter 4 – The line "I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing" is the first lines to one of my all time favourite Script songs, 'Break Even'.**

**Chapter 7 – The line "Is nothing" is the last line to another Script favourite 'Nothing'.**

**Chapter 8 – The line "I know it makes no sense, but what else can I do" is the 7th line in ANOTHER favourite, 'The man who cant be moved'.**

**There's loads more, just for ye to find them, (I love puzzels) As ye can see, I basically LOVE all their songs really.**

**The name 'The End Where I Begin' is the name of one of their songs. **

**And my next book, is going to be called 'Before the Worst'.**

**Well, I guess that's it, Until… whenever,**

**Rachel**


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